Tale of Demons
by Wreaxz
Summary: Two souls walk the earth with the greatest of weights chained to the backs, will they surpass their legacy and rise as demons among angels? Or will fate throw their souls away, to be lost in the annals of time? Not Yaoi. Dark Souls crossover.
1. Prologue, part I

A tale of Demons, one big prologue…

Darkness had fallen long ago in Hi no Kuni; the air had shifted hours ago from its easterly breeze to blow south, perfect for the three shinobi who were currently perched upon a rock overlooking a large clearing in the prestigious land's renowned forests, mainly because their scent would be carried behind them instead of towards anyone in front with a keen nose.

The most notable of the three Konohagakure no Sato ninja was their commander, Hanzo Hattori, an S ranked Naitosutōkā commander of Konoha, first of his name and one of the last of his clan.

Hanzo was no ordinary Shinobi, neither was he even extraordinary, he was legendary. He belonged to one of the most powerful of the seven Akuma clans and lived as a direct descendant of the first Hattori. His story filled countless scrolls and his skills were unparalleled, as went the same for each member of his clan before him. But still, he was one of the last.

Betrayal was a weapon that had no counter to it, not to the simple civilians who hadn't a care in their life besides their family and their crops. Not to the noble samurai who wore their honour as their armour, nor to the strongest of ninja who lorded over all.

Beside him sat two other Naitosutōkā nin, the ever quiet Shizuka Nara, a slim, wiry man in his mid-thirties who possessed piercing brown eyes that rested beneath silver eyebrows. He sported the standard Naitosutōkā uniform which was made up of shin high, black bull hide sandals, dark grey shinobi bottoms and a light grey open trench coat over a mesh shirt. Shizuka's coat was complimented with a hood, and the bottom half of his face was covered with a dull steel plate as to not reflect light, the Konoha symbol was carved into it. At his left side were two kodachi-like swords, one was shorter and rested above the other and on his back the long handle of a nodachi could be seen peeking out from behind his shoulder.

The man was an oddball of sorts, he was slightly ostracised from his clan since he cared not for their sacred techniques. Shizuka preferred speed, stealth, and a good blade in his hand.

The other ninja was a woman named Yue Chunhua, also in her mid-thirties and she too possessed brown eyes, complimented with long chestnut locks of hair. However her eyes were uncomfortably undistinguishable between sly and welcoming. She sported a highly 'modified' version of the uniform which consisted of black, heeled shinobi sandals with ornate straps that came up to her shins and tight fitting shorts dyed black over fishnet leggings. On her upper body she wore a jōnin vest over a black, near skin tight top that covered the entirety of one arm whilst leaving the other exposed from the shoulder. A Konoha headband was hung loosely around her hip.

Strapped to the back of her thigh was a ceremonial sai and on her right arm she wore a glove fitted with a trio of spring assisted daggers, the strange waves in the metal identified that it was crafted from geisteel, a strange metallic alloy on par with Mt. Myōbokuzan steel, capable of harnessing chakra to an extent that chakra steel could never reach. It had been discovered in the rightfully dubbed 'Shadow lands', the uncharted territory miles past Kaze no kuni and Tsuchi no Kuni that not even a Kage would dare to map.

The commander of the group was easily distinguishable by the way he held himself; his aura prickled skin and simply reeked of authority. He wore a brilliantly crafted pair of black, shin high felt boots over black samurai pants, a silver tinged navy blue kimono vest that was fastened by a black sash and what parts of his face that could be distinguished from under the shadows of his hood was covered by a thin chain veil that came up to his eyes.

Resting on his back was a massive Heide spear as tall as the man himself. The shaft was a long, matte black piece of strange metal lined with golden inlays. The cross guard was a piece of legendary craftsmanship depicting a battle between two dragons. Ornate and beautiful, yet it did not make the weapon look like a pampered display model. The blade itself sprouted out of the collision of the two great beasts and came up two feet in length to a razor sharp point. One could swear that the weapon was alive, the way it cut the air as Hanzo moved and the ominous gleam it gave off should have just been a show of fine craftsmanship, however only a fool would believe there was nothing more to it.

Besides this he carried only one other weapon, a large saxe knife strapped to his hip, the blade was a foot long in length and had a heavy end intended for chopping or hacking, not slashing or thrusting. It was a hybrid between axe and knife.

Hanzo squared his shoulder and turned his head the slightest bit to the left and spoke, his voice deep and somewhat hollow due to the chain veil. "Shizuka."

Hearing his name, the man grunted in response, "I know senpai; the left side bears thirteen hidden traps and three hidden shinobi of B-rank status. The obstacles will be dealt with." His voice was quiet yet strong, and oddly comforting.

The woman, Yue spoke up as the other finished. "I know my role as well niisan." Her voice was light and like her eyes, you couldn't distinguish whether she was about to kill you or make love to you.

But Hanzo persisted; a trace of mischievousness entered his tone "How do you know you have a role? For all you know you could be sitting out on this mission."

The woman huffed indignantly, "I haven't done anything nearly naughty enough to deserve that." She finished with a pout, though it was quickly replaced with a sly grin. "_Although, _that could be arranged…" Her husky tone made both men stiffen slightly.

Hanzo cleared his throat hurriedly and reassumed his calm demeanour, "Ina would murder you if she heard that." He didn't add the fact that she would probably murder him too.

Yue however just laughed, "You are so easy Hanzo-nii, Ina must be working her ass off to fend off every other female within a twenty mile radius."

With that said, Yue leapt away at Hanzo's unspoken behest, her form a dark blur among the trees due to the speed of her departure. It was not clear from the crinkling of Hanzo's eyes whether he was frowning or grinning since only his deep golden eyes that told no tale was all that was visible.

Hanzo felt the air shift when Shizuka left, nodding silently to himself, Hanzo waited a minute before he vanished from existence and reappeared in the centre of the clearing naught a second later. Thirteen traps went off, sending thirteen useless paper bombs that had been cut in half up into the air only for them to flutter back down again to the earth beside Hanzo's feet.

The Hattori didn't have to look to know that his team mates hadn't let him down, for he heard the rustle of the bushes as bodies dropped from their hidden perches among the trees. Nor did he even need to acknowledge the intricate rune system that normally would have fried him alive, fail due to a proverbial wrench thrown into the works by his female team mate. Hanzo's attention was firmly fixed on the shinobi that slowly stalked out of the cave on the cliff face that had suddenly appeared as he landed, the man approaching was tall and lean, he wore simple shinobi garb and his headband identified him as a Shinobi hailing from Iwagakure. However, the deep, singular scratch that defiled the symbol identified him as a missing nin.

Interestingly, the enemy shinobi's pupil shined a furious amber colour atop of a jet black iris. Hanzo's eyes narrowed in surprise as his stance grew tighter, '_Akuma shinobi, Hayabusa clan… Dangerous'. _He summarized quickly.

It had been a while since Hanzo had faced an Akuma shinobi before; most of them had fallen to other Akuma nin during the three great Shinobi wars.

However, the reward was not the reason Hanzo chose this mission, it was simply because the A- ranked Iwa jōnin invaded Konoha territory and began to bandit, why an A ranked shinobi would resort to this is unfathomable, yet that was of no matter to him.

The Hattori lord held out a hand to his side and clasped his fingers around his weapon that materialized off his back into his outstretched hand. He turned his body side-faced slightly to his enemy and flexed his free hand.

The other shinobi merely cocked his head and from a scroll, withdrew a massive, black stone Zanbato as tall as the man himself. He hefted it easily onto his shoulder and crouched slightly.

There was a second of silence, a brief whisper of wind whistling through trees, and then the crack of a shunshin and the battle was on.

The missing-nin had used a shunshin without sending out a chakra spike at all; this was a skill that spoke volumes of his experience in combat, however the flaw in the technique was that the man couldn't possibly negate the noise of going from a standstill to transonic speeds whilst muffling the chakra output. Hanzo saw it all. He also had noticed that the nin had used a body specific shunshin on his right arm to speed up his attack tremendously something he had never seen before, it was obvious that he intended to finish the fight before it began, a poor decision since it would leave him wide open after his initial surprise attack. Hanzo deflected it, rightly setting off warning bells in the nuke-nin's head.

There was no trick to it the Iwa traitor realised, the man had not used any jutsu, nor any sign of chakra. That was raw, inhuman speed that could keep up with an advanced shunshin.

It shouldn't have been possible, but he was forced to concede the fact that it was very much so possible as Hanzo spun around him and gouged a deep scratch into his back before jumping _into_ the _inside_ of his blind backslash that the bandit shinobi had swung in retaliation. The nuke-nin grimaced as Hanzo jammed his elbow into the back of his arm before clashing heads brutally, sending the Iwa traitor reeling as his vision swam from the collision.

Hanzo backed off a few paces and allowed the man a brief respite, yet it seemed that the nin either was enraged by the sympathetic action or simply did not need it as he sprinted forward at a surprising speed, catching the Hattori lord off-guard and forcing him to deflect the blow once again before weaving under the rapid succession of swings by the massive blade-wielding shinobi, somewhere along the way Hanzo had managed to whip out his single edged saxe knife.

The dance continued for a good ten seconds but ten seconds might as well have been a minute in a shinobi's eyes. It was on the three-hundredth uninterrupted swing by the Zanbato wielding fiend that he finally presented a microsecond opening. But that minuscule amount of time was more than enough for Hanzo as his saxe flicked out like a whip, hacking into the great sword user's forearm at the start of his swing, penetrating to the bone before the Hattori leapt back and waited.

Sure enough the nuke-nin stumbled as he had no choice but to continue on with the attack that he already started, the giant sword flung out of his loose fingers, barely missing Hanzo on the way. The Hattori utilised the opportunity to drive his spear deep into the nin's chest before letting go to spin around the man and pull it out completely from the other side, the crosspiece tearing an even bigger hole and mangling his chest and back even further.

The missing nin groaned softly as he sunk to his knees, the great sword falling from his fingers as they struggled to support the mighty weapon. Hanzo made a seal and spat water over his dirtied weapon, cleansing it from the blood and gore of battle before sticking it to his back with chakra.

Hanzo turned and faced the heavily wounded shinobi; he had managed to avoid the major organs and arteries. But the man would pass out from blood loss soon and then quickly die. Despite the fact that the man was an enemy, Hanzo nodded respectfully before gesturing to his two squad mates to proceed inside the cave, they nodded back to him and set off without a word. It was a good and honorable fight between two strong shinobi without tricks or jutsu and fought with just sheer skill, they knew that because of this it would be better not to interfere.

Hanzo looked into the other man's eyes before he spoke, "Your name?" He asked quietly.

The man cocked his head to the side, pondering whether to tell him or not before deciding there was no harm in it, there was no harm in anything anymore. "Rokkun" He said thickly, "Hayabusa Rokkun, f…formerly of Iwa."

Hanzo nodded, he was correct, this man was a member of the Hayabusa. The Hayabusa were a powerful clan that held no allegiance to a single nation. So it was common for clansmen to slay their kin unknowingly, or otherwise.

They were like the Hattori in many ways; they were both Akuma shinobi clans that hailed back from countless eras. They were both perilously few in numbers and they both could still recognize their clan lords.

Hanzo represented his clan the Hattori, and Surīpingu no Raiku represented the Hayabusa. The two family's held a rivalry stretching back since their first Lord, and Raiku was even old enough to be his great grandfather; the old dragon simply refused to die and had watched helplessly, stuck in his eternal meditation as his kin fell. This Rokkun, as well as one or two scattered shinobi and Raiku were the last dragons to roam the lands.

It was because of this, Hanzo felt betrayed that a Hayabusa, a fellow demon would take such dishonourable actions within his lands "You are strong Rokkun Hayabusa, though I can't take in why you would commit such heinous crimes, it is unbecoming of a proud clan such as yours." Hanzo took a second to rein himself in, he should have introduced himself first, as tradition dictates. "I seem to have forgotten my manners, I am-

Rokkun interrupted him with a snort that quickly turned into a coughing fit, "-I know your name Akuma Shinobi- Hattori Hanzo, everyone who doesn't have a death wish does… And it i-s, interesting to me w-hy you think I am not capable of doing wrong." He managed hack out softly.

Hanzo grunted, "I knew what type of person you were when I stared into your eyes before I cut through your chest, honour resides in you Hayabusa."

Rokkun grimaced, only to regret it when the miniscule movement allowed more blood to spill out from his mouth, "You guessed- correctly then, I meant no harm to those farmers, and neither did my students inside… I took the blame for it… only because the Shinobi your friend killed wouldn't take us into their village otherwise." Rokkun slumped slightly, his strength was fading fast and he didn't have much time left.

Hanzo was impressed that Rokkun had even noticed Shizuka, it took quite some skill for that alone, yet still, Hanzo's eyes narrowed dangerously at the mention of desertion, "Why would you so desperately need to leave your village for another? What happened to induce such deceit in you?" He questioned, his tone apathetic.

Again the man waited, oblivious to the killing intent that began to steadily rise with the second, contemplating to confess or not, yet, just as before, he came to the conclusion that he had nothing to lose. "A problem between myself and the current Tsuchikage, m-my son fell in battle. And he re-refused to let me retrieve his body. I sensed treachery."

Hanzo didn't have time to respond as the man drew his gaze up to meet his, "Our clan has held a most interesting rivalry Akuma shinobi Hanzo Hattori, for the sake of friendship that has been, let the young Iwa shinobi inside live, they were my students, and would not leave me by myself. The rest simply saw my leaving as a chance to do the same, do what you will with them." The man stated harshly, Hanzo pondered for a second as his anger was replaced with idle curiosity before nodding, he sensed no deceit in the man's eyes throughout the entire encounter, in fact they now seemed rather… Cloudy.

This made Hanzo pause in curiosity; demons could not leak tears even if they wanted too, the seven clans were brought up in a way that induced no emotion besides rage, anger and pain. It was a price they all paid as well as many others in exchange for the blood soaked life that had been gifted too them. It was too steep a price in any sane man's eyes.

"I doubt my team would kill them before I said so, they will be safe" Hanzo eyed the man curiously, there was a dilemma here. The man was telling the truth, he could see that. But should he urge the Hokage to take them in and shelter them, it would be an affront to Iwa and could be a stepping stone to starting another war. That would not do. "What will I do with you then?" Hanzo asked curiously.

The man shrugged, "E…End my suffering, before my pupils see me dying. And I will not have you take me back to your village, it- it" The man paused as he struggled to talk with the blood that had already dried in his throat. Only after hacking till his throat was raw did he speak again. "It; is not wise."

Hanzo was impressed, the man was a shinobi to be reckoned with, his name alone saw to that and his skill only added to it, and he was someone who cared for others more than himself, regardless of status, rank, friend or foe. '_I can't kill him like this; he doesn't deserve such a pathetic death'._

His mind made up, Hanzo nodded. "Fine."

Hanzo once again showed his familiarity with his weapon as he expertly nudged his spear off his back and flicked it into a reverse position, the blade end resting against his shoulder and the butt planted into the earth, Rokkun closed his eyes as he waited for the inevitable embrace of the Shinigami.

Thankfully the Hattori lord did not torment him further by waiting, there was the sharp, keening sound of a blade cutting through air, before Rokkun saw nothing but black.

* * *

"A marvellous kill to be sure, but how can we be certain it's him?" A hunter-nin from Iwa asked reasonably as the Yondaime Hokage, Namikaze Minato and the Naitosutōkā division lord commander, Hattori Hanzo stood around a pile of ash and bones.

Minato spoke up; he was a slim, blonde haired youth with a light and calm face, although now his features were sharp and defined, voicing his distaste for having for what was all intents and purposes, an enemy within his reach and not being able to do anything about it. His voice was also light yet awfully commanding. "Can you not extract marrow from the bones, or sample any type of DNA?"

The Hunter-nin shook her head, "In normal circumstances, yes. But Hanzo-sama's ferocity with his jutsu left not a single untouched trace according to your science division, who are the greatest minds in the five kingdoms so far... That are still among the living." She added with a slight hint of hostility in her voice. It was a mistake; it forced both men hide their smirks before their air of seriousness was broken.

Hanzo remained apathetic to the nin's praise, "Then takes my word for it. A Hattori does not dishonor himself like so, this is a traitor from Iwagakure."

Minato's eyebrow twitched as his eyes flicked over to Hanzo subtly, he had noticed what the 'trained' hunter-nin had not. Hanzo had not said 'the traitor from Iwa'; he had said 'a traitor from Iwa'. He had a feeling just what Hanzo was planning but he kept it to himself for obvious reasons.

The hunter-nin was presented with a choice; either risk a diplomatic incident, or accept the facts and return to Iwa with the remains. "It seems I have no choice, and what of these three other bodies, can you vouch that they are his students?"

Hanzo shook his head and pierced the hunter-nin's soul with his stare, "No, these three young ninja had no headbands on, nor any identity of any kind."

The hunter-nin looked up, "Young ninja, you say?" she asked thoughtfully, and perhaps a bit too casually.

Hanzo growled softly and the Iwa kunoichi was forced to lean back against the table for support from the sheer malice Hanzo had projected in the sound. She had been _much _too casual.

"Did I stutter?" The Hattori asked quietly, yet even though the volume was low. There was just as much promise of death if not more than facing the five Kage's together.

The hunter-nin was placed between a zanbato and a chopping block, "I will take them anyway, since they were the only ones with Rokkun of the clan Hayabusa, it is likely that they were his students. Thank you Hokage-sama and Hanzo-sama, I will not waste any more of your time."

Minato narrowed his eyes, "Good."

When the hunter-nin had finally gathered the remains and set off for Iwa, Minato looked at Hanzo and frowned, "That was genius, I didn't know you could be so deceitful."

Hanzo felt a smirk tug at his lips. "I did not lie."

Minato cocked his head in a smile, "I had a feeling telling me so, spill it."

Hanzo sat down and snorted derisively, "Yes, that was a traitor from Iwa, I did not say which one, and the hunter-nin assumed I was talking about Hayabusa Rokkun. Just as she assumed those three shinobi from Kusagakure were Rokkun's students, ridiculously stupid to as-"

Minato turned and raised a sharp brow, "Kusa? You say?"

Hanzo glared at Minato for the interruption and stood gruffly to help himself to the sake on the Hokage's desk, purposely not affirming the statement; it was obvious these two were very comfortable around each other if the Hattori lord could simply snatch things from the Lord Hokage's desk without a care from either of the two.

Finally, he relented, "Yes, along with the headbands, I identified the tanto technique taught by master Kyoken of Kusa. Or rather, Shizuka snatched the scroll off the nin's body before its head fell off." Hanzo stated proudly with a small grin.

Minato smirked, "The turtle's technique is a powerful tool for our support and medic roles. This will be useful, thank Shizuka-kun for me and ask him to turn the scroll into the ANBU when they come for it."

Hanzo shrugged, "It's not my decision when you get it otouto, once Shizuka has finished devising a way to utterly crush anyone using the technique, he will hand it in himself."

Minato smiled pleasantly, "In his own time then." he said with a cheery smile. Hanzo smirked and knocked his head against the blonde's playfully before fading from existence.

Minato sat back down in his comfy chair rubbing his head glaring daggers at where Hanzo had been just a second ago, though he couldn't hide the small smile on his face, it dissipated somewhat however when he studied where Hanzo had been more intently; not a trace of the Hattori lord was left, not even a sound to accentuate the technique. Minato found he was slightly annoyed, even his technique came with a flaw. '_How does he do that?'_

* * *

Rokkun awoke stiffly; he laid there on the warm mattress for a while before he finally willed his eyes to open. '_This is not the afterlife.' _He thought to himself tiredly, and he was not wrong.

The gaping hole in his chest had been closed up with chakra thread sutures and filled with some type of substitute flesh, his blood had been replenished by blood replenishment pills, and the fact that his wounds were so expertly attended to mean that it was the work of a highly skilled medical ninja. Yet still, his head was pinging constantly as if he had managed to greet a train headfirst, and his entire torso was aflame with pain.

He gave a low groan, a pitifully weak noise although it served its purpose as someone heard it nonetheless. In an instant two of his students began to hover over him, their faces contorted in worry.

"Sensei! Sensei are you alright?" One of them half yelled into his face. The other looked at him sharply before elbowing him.

"Of course not you idiot! He got impaled by a bloody pole!" The second admonished. "And give him some room!"

The one who had spoken first looked slightly abashed as he leaned back an inch or two, just enough so that Rokkun could no longer smell his breath.

"Water…" He croaked softly, the two jumped guiltily as they both turned to do his bidding at the same time, inevitably starting another fight.

Thankfully, he was saved from their idiotic charade as his last student entered the room to see what the commotion was about. She was a slender figure and her face seemed to hold a permanent scowl, the instant she caught sight of her sensei's sickly face her scowl turned into a glare directed at the two boys, she charged in with fury.

She knocked the two on their heads fiercely, cowing them into submission as she tore the water jug out of the first one's hands. "Damn useless! The both of you! Here you go sensei." She added the last few words softly as she dribbled water into Rokkun's parched mouth, knowing enough not to allow him to take large gulps.

Rokkun made to speak, but if the effort of breathing sent flares of pain through his chest, than the task of stringing words together was nigh impossible and almost gave him a heart attack. He erupted into a fit of coughing, it didn't help that every cough came with its own mini cardiac arrest.

The three were immediately on their feet and staring at him worriedly. "Sensei don't speak, the doc said you need at least four months of rest to even get up." the first said.

The second nodded as he held up a note, "Yeah, the one with glowy eyes gave us this when we woke up in this room. Your eyes still work without hurting you I guess."

All Rokkun could do was glare daggers at his cheeky student as doing anything else was infuriatingly painful, however he finally reined in his pride In favour of curiosity to read the note that was being held up for him.

Written in neat, flowing kanji was a message from Hanzo himself.

"_You are safe from your village and ours. They have not realized that the bodies they took were the wrong ones. You are guests of a simple farmhouse in a remote location fourteen miles north east from Kikinofaku Gai, your students are to help around the farm and house for the elderly old woman in exchange for her hospitality._

_And heed this warning, should we ever cross again in unsavory circumstances, I will not let you live a second time._

_\- Signed Hanzo Hattori."_

Rokkun read and then re-read the words in awe; it was the last thing he had expected. He had been given a chance to make amends, his eyes sought out his trusted weapon and he found the giant blade leaning against the wall of the room he was in, perhaps it was time to pack it away for a while. They were no longer wanted, Hanzo had seen to that.

'_I'll repay the favour one day Master Hattori, I swear it_'

* * *

A young ninja sat on the edge of a roof, his feet swinging lazily as he gazed up at the moonlit stars. He was dressed similarly to Hanzo; however he had forgone the boots for simple sandals. And like Hanzo, he wore a kimono vest, however this one was grey, christened with black linings and fastened closed with a white silk sash.

Still lying down, the youth raised a hand and waved it at seemingly nothing before yawning.

"I waited all day for you yesterday sensei, you better had been held up by a war" He stated casually, yet his onyx black eyes glinted slightly when he sat up.

Hanzo appeared from the shadows, chuckling softly. "There was a complication dear pupil of mine." He said warmly as the youth dropped down from his perch and huffed indignantly. "Let us go home; I need to see my wife and son who are probably none too pleased with being left alone suddenly."

The youth huffed in indignation and puffed his chest out slightly. "They had me."

Hanzo looked at him curiously and smiled, "That they did Kyra."

They walked in companionable silence for another ten minutes before Hanzo broke the silence softly, "You know I have duties that need attending too, and more often than not it will take up most of my time. Being the battle commander in times of war, the Naitosutōkā corps commander and personal advisor to the Hokage make sure of that" Hanzo stated peacefully.

Kyra looked at him with a quizzical expression, "I know that, but what are you getting at?" he asked.

Hanzo smiled languidly, "I'm not going to be there for him all the time, that's not right. I won't be like the Hyuuga, who value their position and honour more than their own blood." There was contempt that could be heard in his voice, it was barely veiled if at all.

Kyra now saw what his mentor was saying he understood now that this was about his son.

"I will not have him go through what I went through, the path of blood, hatred and anger is something I wish upon not even the most horrid of souls. And certainly not on my son." He stopped abruptly, turning to look directly into his pupil's eyes. "I have taught you all I could, not just jutsu or techniques, but I taught you about the world as well, you saw peace was the highest goal, you saw that only compassion could overcome hatred. That is why you will be Reiji's godfather it is a difficult task I know bu-"

Kyra had simply stood there for a good ten seconds, his jaw threatening to unhinge. Normally it would not be a big deal to others, a great honour sure but to be trusted with the life of the heir to an Akuma clan was not something to be taken lightly, he fell to one knee cutting Hanzo off with his sudden action, he took a second to reign in his thoughts before he spoke, the heart in his words were evident. "Before you found me, I had no purpose; even after you did I was still lost. But I know my task now; I can see my path laid out before me, Reiji will be my tether to this world like you are now. I will not fail you Hanzo-sama."

Hanzo clicked his tongue, "It's not me you have to worry about now… And I told you not to call me that." He pressed sternly before turning and fading from existence.

He reappeared outside his grand compound that took up the north western corner of the entire village; Hanzo was confused, the warm flutter where his heart rested was still there. It confused him to no end, only Ina had been able to stir that warmth in that spot, yet with each of his student's words that warmth grew into a roaring flame.

His thoughts were cut short by a cry of his name.

"Hanzo-sama! I did not think to look for you so soon!" an elderly and obviously warm voice sounded out across from him.

Hanzo looked up and nodded warmly to the undeniably ancient looking man that hobbled out from the mansion that was the Hattori manor. "Haru-jiji, it is good to see you, I trust you received my gift?" Hanzo questioned with a raised brow.

Haru bowed respectfully before smiling and pulling out a pair of chopsticks out of the bun in his hair. He began to laugh jovially as he waved his eating utensils around ecstatically; they were dark brown in colour and had an odd golden inscription running down its length. "I can't believe you went to the trouble of finding this my boy! You really made these old, dry eyes tear up when that pleasant Iruka child brought them to me!" The man exclaimed, his excitement belying his old age.

Hanzo let loose a rumbling laughter that infectiously caught onto Haru, "Ever since you mentioned them my mind was set on getting them for you. You're as much as a family to me as my own kin."

Haru ran his shaking hand through Hanzo's hair affectionately as he led the man to into the manor. "And the same to you my child, you remind me so much of your father." Before Hanzo could reply, the elderly man spoke again to save him the trouble of answering. "Everything has been looked after perfectly, as always Hanzo-sama… And Ina-sama would like a word with you." He added sympathetically at the end.

Hanzo cringed internally a little before he shook his head; there was an easy way to deal with her. But still, it was not wise to leave his wife and child on an emergency mission without telling her, he knew.

Regardless, the Hattori walked through the doors of his house and deeply inhaled the fragrant aroma of Haru's cooking. The old man had taken care of him and his father before him for as long as he could remember; without him, he would most definitely be lost.

As if reading his thoughts, Haru laid out Hanzo's meal in seconds, despite being at a grand age, the old man seemed to move faster than most jōnin without even looking like he was moving at a relative pace at all. But it is to be expected; to live your life around shinobi and not pick up on certain things would simply be unlikely.

Although he had been starved due to Shizuka being more adept at killing things than cooking meals, his mind was not on the delicious food in front of him consisting of roast honeyed pork and steamed vegetables. It was on his son.

The only heir to the Hattori clan, and through it the heir to the wolf summons and it's boss Kygura. Heir to the Honda clan through Inahime Honda his mother and through the Honda he was the rightful contract holder to the stag summon and it's chief Kamigoro. A descendant of the first Demon Hattori Ma Chao and the son of an officially S-ranked elite jōnin of Konohagakure no Sato and Naitosutōkā lord commander.

So much was to be expected of him. Hanzo knew the extent of how much weight would be strapped to his shoulders and all that would come of it would be things decided _for_ him. It was this train of thought that led him to his son's room. There by the fire in the hearth was a little cot with a bundle of cloth wriggling around in protest to his confinement. Hanzo felt an absent smile crease his face as stripped off his weapons and cloak. Scooping up the child in his arms, he sat down by the fire and nudged away the blankets from the child's face

Hanzo looked into the eyes of his firstborn. The sight made him laugh happily; it was like staring into the eyes of an angry beast. Reiji was obviously not too pleased with being restrained like this, but seeing his father. The child ceased his frustrated wriggling and began to stare intently at the man before reaching up and poking Hanzo's face.

That interaction seemed to have broken the dam as Reiji threw caution to the wind and started to assault his father face, however he seemed to be infatuated with Hanzo's canine-like fore teeth and proceeded to try and yank them out. The Hattori lord was pleased, Reiji was strong, he could feel the pressure from his pulling yet he let the child do as he pleased.

He wasn't worried about him actually pulling them out. His incisors were like iron, however it wasn't without its disadvantages, the amount of mangled kunai he'd been forced to throw away from his incessant habit of gnawing on everything was enough to fill a landfill.

Hanzo studied the newborn in turn, the child's eyes were amazing, a stunning, rippling sea of gold with a purplish pupil in the middle, the golden iris was a tell-tale sign that this child belonged to the Hattori clan, and the purple pupil a sign that he hailed also from the Honda clan. However he sincerely doubted anyone would notice that fact, the era of the Honda died with the first great shinobi war, their once honourable and fearsome name were now whispers that had washed away in the wind. Ina was the last of the Honda much as he and Reiji were the last of the Hattori.

Hanzo sat with his son idly wondering whether Reiji would manage to unlock the Honda clan's kekkei genkai, an extinct doujutsu that had not the visual prowess of the Sharingan or Byakugan, yet had untold secrets of its own, past clansmen blessed with the bygone doujutsu each reported different effects, however the kekkei genkai had supposedly died out with Ina's great grandfather, the legendary berserker of Konoha, Tadakatsu Honda. Or whether his own clan's kekkei genkai would either cancel out the other or be cancelled out itself. It was not a dojutsu, so the two bloodlines logically should not conflict, yet the entire subject was very tedious.

Hanzo's musings reached an abrupt stop when he felt a certain someone's chakra spike. He clicked his tongue and stood, carefully lowering the sleeping child to his cot and dousing the roaring flames with a wave of his hand.

"Wish me luck pup, pray that I do not mysteriously disappear in the next few moments." With that, he stepped out of the room and began to pad softly towards the master bedroom.

Hanzo stepped into his room, there was a small fire warming up the room on the far end but what caught his attention was the beautiful woman standing with her hands on her hips and her face contorted into an icy glare.

Ina was... There was no other word for it, she was divine. She had silky blonde hair that cascaded down her back. A slim hourglass figure that could make men go mad with lust and a face that would make the noblest of samurai forget their own name. But to him she was his anchor, the one that had managed to cleanse the blood off his mind and body; she alone held his heart in her hand. Hanzo stood in the doorway for a second before taking a few tentative steps forward.

"So." Ina said casually, Hanzo winced inside. Her voice was bleached, cold and it was like a dagger thrust into his chest. She was angrier than he thought. "A secret mission, huh?"

Hanzo swallowed, this was not going how he planned at all. "It was urgent, I was told to leave immediately." he said flatly.

Ina's face was still apathetic, and the gown she had on did little to hide her body. Even after birth, her physique hadn't changed at all; it was enough to drive a man wild. But he resisted succumbing to her; this was her trick, her plan. She would try to make him weak and then she would pounce.

"So what was so important that it barred telling your wife that you were leaving for three days?" She asked as her foot began to tap on the floor. Not a good sign.

Hanzo fought back an insane prankster idea, the suicidal part of his mind was screaming at him to smile and tell her 'It's classified' but if he said that he was sure that Reiji would probably be his only child due to a loss of... 'Equipment'.

The room grew steadily warmer in the oppressive silence; however Ina seemed to not notice or care in the slightest. Finally tired of this game, Hanzo sighed tiredly and walked up to her, all the while stripping off his clothes and tossing them hazardously behind him.

Ina bit her lip subtly as the last piece of his clothes fell off from his body, years of conditioning turned her husband into every female's wet dream, and the mind numbing effect it had on her still hadn't worn off even after years of claiming it as 'hers'.

"What're you- Hey!"

Hanzo gave her no response other than placing his arm around her waist and dropping her softly to the bed. Before she could even move her lips, Hanzo claimed them, thoroughly.

Hanzo was the great demon of Konoha, commander of the strongest division in his village and his name was uttered in whispers in every corner of the five great nations. No man would bar his path; no mountain could unsettle this man. Apparently, Ina needed reminding of this fact.

She struggled desperately not to give in to the sensations, yet as always she found it was impossible to resist. Ina had lost this battle the instant he had walked into the room. '_Oh well, it's sort of an apology I guess…'_

* * *

Hanzo frowned; he had just shot awake when the magatama shaped pendant around his neck had pulsed suddenly with heat. Interestingly, there was also a singular magatama like dot in the middle of Hanzo's chest as well, seemingly inked in like a tattoo or seal. The nude form his wife was still draped over his chest, so he quickly inched her hand off his pendant so she wouldn't feel the heat and wake.

Minato had inscribed complex seals into the pendant, to the extent that he couldn't even tell where the seal pattern started let alone try to understand it; Minato had an exact replica that he wore at all times as well. Besides the bond it showed, the medallion also served a much more devious purpose, whenever one needed the other, he would just have to send a tiny pulse of chakra through the pendant and the others pendant would pulsate warmly. It was ingenious; Hanzo figured it was roughly based off of a transportation and heating seal working in conjunction. However how Minato had figured out how to transport chakra across distances and use that energy to power the heating seal was beyond him.

Hanzo had to use almost every inch of his skill so he could slip out from underneath his wife without her knowing, even then as he pulled on his pants, Ina nearly managed to spook the wits out of him as she suddenly spoke, her voice thick with sleep.

"Hanzo-sama? Where are you going?" She asked innocently.

Hanzo closed his eyes for a second in amusement; for years he had been wondering why he couldn't leave undetected from her sleeping embrace when he could disappear from all knowledge when caught in a Kage's headlock, he felt a sudden urge to find out why. So he did what he never thought he would succumb too. He asked her.

"How do you always know? I've been wondering for years now…" He said quietly, embarrassed by finally being defeated.

Ina just smirked as she got up, her nude form lithely walking up to him before wrapping her arms around his body, pulling his warmth closer to her. She mischievously considered not telling for a moment before relenting with a fond sigh, "Because." She said simply, "Your heart no longer belongs to you, I claimed it. It's mine, and I know when it's not close to me." Her tone was adamant and remarkably fierce, as if daring anyone to challenge her words.

Hanzo stared at her for a moment before he felt a new rush of love for her overcome him, which should have not been possible.

Hanzo stroked her face affectionately before donning a simple black, hooded robe, not bothering to close it with the sash as he wanted to feel the cool, crisp air upon his skin.

"As it should be then" He said simply, all of the words he could have said were already caught by her when she gazed into his golden eyes. Hanzo grinned and de-materialized from her lusty gaze.

He reappeared a couple of roofs away from the Hokage tower, barely managing to take a step forward before sensing a presence rapidly approaching him, making the Hattori click his tongue in annoyance.

_'Annoying_, _that's all these 'elite' guards of the Hokage are…'_

As soon as he finished his thought, an ANBU appeared in front of him kneeling with her head lowered nearly to his feet in deep respect.

Hanzo growled. It was a deep, primal vibration that rattled from not his throat, but from the depths of his chest. He never had got used to people scraping their foreheads on the floor just because he was standing there.

"Rise you idiot, and never kneel that low again. In fact never kneel in front of me again or I'll have you flogged." Hanzo commanded crisply.

The ANBU straightened immediately; the Hattori lord noticed that she was very young for one of Konoha's defenders. "Apologies for my insolence Hanzo-sama." Her voice was seriously underdeveloped; she seemed to be no older than thirteen.

Hanzo growled threateningly and the ANBU felt it best not to apologize again, the Hattori lord hated formalities and meek submission, this was commonly known.

"Remove your mask; I will not address you as a snake." Indeed, the woman in front of him was a snake masked ANBU. She removed it daintily and secured it behind her hip. She was a cute child and awfully young; his previous assessment had been grossly off. She was in fact around eight. She had purple hip length hair tied back in a ponytail. Oddly, she seemed remarkably familiar.

Apparently, the child took great interest in the way he looked, drinking in every aspect subtly from head to toe.

Thoroughly annoyed with her gawking, Hanzo snorted impatiently. "What is it?" He asked gruffly.

She stuttered for a bit under his unblinking and piercing gaze, "Uhh, Hokage-sama told me to escort you to him."

Hanzo narrowed his eyes. "Why would I of all people need escorting from a child who is up past her bedtime?"

The girl opened and closed her mouth several times, but no sound came forth. She was hopelessly lost for words; Hanzo sighed irritably and gestured for her to lead.

* * *

"What was the point of sending a tiny purple haired child to escort me here, I'd deign to ask if I thought I'd get a decent answer back." Hanzo muttered absently as he let himself through the window into the Hokage's office.

Sarutobi Hiruzen chuckled warmly at the grumbling Hattori lord. "She is very intrigued by you Hanzo-kun, ever since you almost lost your life saving her from Iwa forces." The old man said knowingly.

Hanzo paused in his step as his memories were triggered. "Ah, that's why she seemed familiar." Hanzo said quietly to himself as he remembered that night a few years ago.

It was a very painful night that was to be sure. But he wouldn't have been able to sleep at night if he had simply ignored seeing a small purple haired child being stolen as Iwa forces poured into Hi no kuni. He had taken it on himself to save her at the expense of being shot with arrows repeatedly as he escaped with the child in his arms.

He had made it back into the Region six base camp, apparently muttering something about a 'stupid little girl' before collapsing into the head nurse.

Hanzo frowned as the Sandaime's words clicked. "Intrigued you say?" He asked curiously.

Hiruzen nodded as he lit up his pipe before blowing a smoke ring towards the Yondaime that was now rustling through his drawers idly. "She was taken into our care as a ward since she could not remember anything before the point she was captured."

Hanzo frowned, He _did _remember the nasty head wound she had when he had found her in one of the dinky cells Iwa had built. He grumbled softly, "Hn, and why a person as young as that is in ANBU uniform is past me. The only one that I've heard of being in ANBU so young was that cute little fellow in Kiri, always chasing after that dude with the giant butchers knife, remember him?"

Minato's head snapped up at the mention of this, "I remember him, and I remember what piqued our interest in him as well."

Hanzo grinned, thinking back to the time he had been challenged in a duel by the runt, "I left him a scar to remember me by however." Hanzo stated evilly.

Minato smiled, "He did say that he would treasure it always."

They laughed together and Minato flung up a bottle of awfully expensive, aged sake to Hanzo who uncorked the bottle and downed enough to get even the Monkey king Enma drunk in a without a wince.

Meanwhile, Sarutobi pretended to be nonchalant as he focused on re-lighting his pipe, "You two… Are far too bloodthirsty to be commanding innocent young ones." His face was set like stone, but his tone and glinting eyes gave voice to his amusement.

Minato shrugged as he turned his attention to Hanzo, "Regardless of her age, she was a prized pupil of one Orochimaru of the Sannin, I believed it prudent to keep her close. Just for the time being until someone can remedy the effects Orochimaru had on her, she is coping rather well don't you think?"

Hanzo nodded, obviously in thought before going to sit by the fire, his demeanour changed and his eyes hardened. "Minato, you didn't summon me here to simply talk about the past and your new plaything. What was it that made you wake me up?" Hanzo asked bluntly.

Minato's smile faded as he realized just why Hanzo was here. "I found something on my travels Ani, the thing that had occupied my mind for quite some time now."

Sarutobi's head perked up from his precious pipe at this. For months, the young Hokage had been obsessed with something, acting distant from others and only barely doing his duty as a Kage. Something he would smartly avoid whenever questioned about. '_Could this be it?'_ Sarutobi asked himself.

Hanzo also looked up curiously, "And what was this find?"

Minato took a second to close his eyes and recollect before he sat cross-legged in front of the two other legendary figures. He started with a question, "have any of you heard of a being called the cursed one?"

When the two shook their head in a negative, Minato shrugged. "I wouldn't think so. It is over fifty-thousand years old."

Hanzo snorted in amusement, "You expect us to know a man that ancient?"

Minato shrugged once again, "Well, it ought to be famous. It's not a man, it is the tenth Biju"

This time, the two ninja's jaws dropped at the same time. "But I thought there were only nine? How can there be a tenth?" The Sandaime stated in disbelief.

"I found a chamber, large enough to contain such a beast. It was ancient, ancient enough for the walls to crumble to dust by my mere touch. I found it below the seabed of the ocean south of Hi no Kuni" He continued quickly to stall their questions of what he was doing there. "I was searching for answers to why there was an old unfinished scroll depicting how to seal a tailed beast in my old desk"

Hanzo interrupted quickly, "I'm sorry, but did you say IN your old desk?"

Minato scratched the back of his head sheepishly, "Yes. The one Ojichan almost skinned me for breaking when I lost it at that Kumo representative."

Hanzo and Minato could hear the old professor grumbling from his spot about 'his precious desk'. Hanzo frowned, "That thing was insanely old. Saru-jiji said it had belonged to Senju Hashirama when he first founded Konoha."

The Sandaime nodded his affirmation.

"There was a scroll hidden in between the woodwork." Minato stated, pointing to point in his new desk in example. "The entire desk had chakra infused within it to conceal the minuscule amount of chakra the scroll held to preserve the ink." Minato said, inclining his head meaningfully.

Hanzo was the first to voice what they had all figured out, his tone was slightly awed. "Senju Hashirama must have been quite the genius to keep his chakra flowing in a creation of his jutsu long after he sunk into the earth. I have renewed respect for him." He stated mildly.

Minato shrugged, "The building beneath you is made from his jutsu, as well as most of the forestry in a two mile radius from Konoha." Hiruzen nodded absently as if he already knew this.

Hanzo snorted derisively. "Continue Supīdirisu-chan"

Minato's lips twitched in a smirk at the mention of his old nickname. "The scroll told me of a land far to the south of Hi no Kuni that Hashirama had visited once in his youth. The island was under a stress from volcanic eruptions, earthquakes and tidal waves. This is because of some mention of tectonic plates beneath the earth shifting. What these plates are, i haven't a clue, but Hashirama said in his notes that along with these natural disasters. The land was sinking slowly underwater." The Yondaime waited for a comment, but was only met with a stoic silence, he shrugged mentally and decided to continue. "So naturally, i decided to go have a look."

Hiruzen hummed quietly to himself before looking up, "And, you found this place?" he asked.

Minato nodded with a smile, "It wasn't hard to find at all, only about fifty feet below sea level just off the coast of this land I found a massive cave entrance. There were these strange rock creatures guarding the entrance, probably some sort of ward or seal animating it, they were easy enough to defeat. Slow, terribly so, but their attacks remind me of Tsu-chan." Hiruzen chuckled at this and Hanzo smirked.

"I ventured deeper into this cave and found it to be massive inside, easily large enough to fit Konoha into. There was a story etched into the entirety of a wall in ancient Kanji that I could only read thanks to Jiraiya sensei's manic teachings, the entire thing was one big seal that had to be dissected in sections. The ruin was flooding so I had not much time to document it. But I did manage to glance a quick summary before I was fired out of the tomb by the pressurized air escaping from its prison underwater." He paused for a quick sip of sake before continuing. He appreciated the fact he had the Naitosutōkā lord Commander sitting before him cross-legged, leaning forward listening intently like an enthralled schoolboy being told a tale. "The story goes as follows, well from what I made out anyway."

Hanzo made a 'hurry up' gesture and Hiruzen already had a little monkey summon with a scroll and brush out ready to document everything he said. Minato smiled and cleared his throat. "Over fifty thousand years ago, there was a village that rested in this very spot." Minato pointed to the earth they were standing on via the building. "That village was the pre-era Konoha. This is around the time the Sage had split the ten tails into ten different parts-"

Hanzo chipped in curiously, "We're going with the sage story then?" At Minato's nod he dropped it and resumed his intent listening.

"What the sage did not mention in his writings. Was what happened to the tenth part of the Jubi, people say that he sealed it into a giant statue, this is unknown. What is known, well now at least, is that he sealed it into himself. Combined with his power and the demonic power of the ten tails, the sage deteriorated and his soul, essence and chakra were locked deep into a mountain in an effort to keep him from losing control." Minato explained, his grin already forming as he could picture the gears turning in Hanzo's head.

Hanzo shook his head in denial, "No, no that's not right. The Sage had to contain all of the Jubi in the first place, why would he lose control from a lesser amount?" He asked reasonably.

Of course, the Sandaime, the proclaimed god of shinobi gave off a soft grunt as he figured it out. "Less is more Hanzo-kun." He said wisely.

Minato nodded his assent, "Jiji is right, when the Sage harnessed the Jubi in full. Yes, he did take in the negative energies that would cause him to lose control. But the Jubi wasn't a mindless beast, it had a soul Hanzo. Along with the negative, there was plenty of positive to balance it out." Hanzo made a sound stating his understanding.

Minato shrugged and continued, "But, this time he had no positive to bar the negative. Inside him was the bridled mass of anger and evil. Next to each of the names of the biju, were two characteristics. I didn't catch much but I saw what was important. Next to Kyuubi no Yoko, were the words 'Hate' and another word I couldn't quite make out" Minato told them with a sheepish grin.

Hanzo merely nodded before he hummed loudly, "Wonder what mountain it's all locked in. Would be quite a field trip."

Minato laughed as he pointed out of his window to the Hokage monument. "Well I'm glad you asked, because it's that mountain right there."

"I don't understand; the only caves in there are the ones we made ourselves in the faces of the Hokage's." The Sandaime questioned grimly.

Minato shook his head, "The next part of the story leads me to believe that the Kyuubi was the reason that the cave does not exist anymore. Remember, the etchings said that the mountain was massive, although that is quite a big pile of dirt. That is not colossal like the story led us to believe." The other two nodded in agreement.

Minato shrugged "Well, I digress. The village was attacked by an enraged Kyuubi no Yoko, the reason unknown or I more likely, I missed it. During the attack, everyone was slaughtered. Every single form of life was extinguished except for a young child"

Minato smirked at the look of understanding dawn on the other two shinobi's faces, "Yeah, the Cursed one. He found the hidden chamber, opened it somehow and harnessed the entire power of the Sage and the remaining power of the Jubi. Remember, the sage would be strong, but this is after he had split up the Jubi. Most of his pwer would have been gone by then." Minato paused and rubbed his forehead regretfully. "I skipped ahead a bit here because I was almost up to my chest in water."

Hanzo shrugged and Hiruzen frowned, "Why not seal some of the water away, wait, let me guess. Your supplies were on the ship?" Hanzo guessed.

Minato nodded, "For lack of a better name, the cursed one transformed into the being of what the cave had suggested. Anger and evil. It became the tenth biju."

Hiruzen was silent, but Hanzo stood slowly, "Are you telling me this… New demon is more powerful than the Jubi itself?"

Minato shook his head. "No, I don't think that at all. Most of the Jubi's power was already split up, the majority of it going into the Kyuubi. I believe this Biju would rival the likes of Rokubi or Nanabi."

Hanzo blinked slowly and finished the rest of his drink before looking up, "I need to mull some things over. I will have you visit me in the Naitosutōkā HQ tomorrow Minato." He said looking at the lord fourth who nodded in response. Hanzo shifted his gaze to the previous Hokage. "Goodnight sensei"

The Professor just nodded subconsciously and dispelled his tiny monkey summon with a light tap on its head with a finger, his mind was deep in thought. Hanzo turned on his heel and exited through where he had come in; his eyes glanced over to the Hokage monument, with a shrug he made his way to it. He sat down atop the Nidaime's head and closed his eyes, reaching out with only his own chakra. He could feel it, he realized why this was the spot he came to clear his head. The peaceful residual energy of the sage, regardless of it being mere remnants had the ability to soothe the most distressed of souls. But there was something else there… A powerful evil.

His own chakra that had dominated even other men was suddenly cowed into submission, making Hanzo wince at the sudden fluctuation in his pathways. Hanzo opened his eyes in slight shock.

_Interesting... Where would the cursed biju be now then?_

* * *

Kyra was uncomfortable; he had stood beside his master atop the Nidaime's head waiting for a response for nigh an hour. Normally, Hanzo's eyes would snap open and he would address him casually. But for an hour, the only thing Kyra sensed was the wind blowing through his dark grey hair. He couldn't sense any instance of life, or the massive chakra Hanzo normally output. It was like the Hattori lord had become part of the rock he was sitting on. His chest did not move from where he sat overlooking the village, his breath was non-existent; his chakra was hidden completely which was a massively spectacular feat, especially for someone with as much chakra as Hanzo. And all instance of life was eliminated; his body heat wasn't even recognized by thermal sensory techniques.

If he didn't know Hanzo better, he would have just said that such a feat just cannot be possible. Yet-

Kyra jumped as the subject of his distress grumbled lowly, "Hanzo-sama?"

Hanzo quieted and his angry, golden eyes snapped open. "This is… Disturbing" Hanzo grilled out in a gravelly tone.

Kyra was lost for words; it was as if Hanzo hadn't even acknowledged him. He reached out and tapped his sensei's shoulder.

One could have blinked and missed it, one second, Kyra had been behind Hanzo and the next he was pinned up against a tree with Hanzo's kunai pressed firmly against his jugular. No chakra, no tricks. Just raw speed and animal instinct.

Kyra was terrified. It wasn't the blade prodding against his neck or the mere fact that his sensei had almost killed him. It was the way Hanzo bared his teeth at him, the primal anger and bloodlust in his golden eyes that had replaced his calm and collected gaze.

Hanzo's eyes were feral; the need for slaughter swam on the surface…

It took a full second before Hanzo realised who he had almost killed. His fingers numbed and the kunai cluttered from his hand as he sunk to his knees. Within an instant, regardless of the fact that he had nearly died at his master's hand, Kyra eased him up and looked at him in concern. The crazed rage was gone, replaced with, fear.

That was… Impossible…

Kyra was startled, _just what had happened to make him so angry_ he asked himself. "…Sensei?"

Hanzo looked up at him and backed away. "I… I'm so sorry Kyra. I-" Hanzo was cut off as Kyra poked him roughly.

"-You… Weren't you, sensei. I've never seen that much hate and anger in you before." Kyra frowned as he stepped forward, he noticed as Hanzo shuffled back, intent to keep his distance lest he lash out again. But Kyra didn't care; he closed the distance and grabbed Hanzo's shoulder firmly. "Sensei? What's wrong?"

Hanzo frowned; it was long past the time when he would normally just divert the boy's questions. Kyra was more of an equal than an apprentice. The boy was more powerful at his young age than he had ever been ten years ago. He was his perfection; everything he could pass on had already been given to the young shinobi. He would bet that Kyra could give even Minato quite the run for his money. But still, he found he just couldn't put his thoughts into words, so he just conveyed what he could.

"There is a deep evil approaching, very soon. Be ready Kyra, be ready for darkness. Make sure you're strong enough to weather it." Hanzo told him solemnly, Kyra frowned questioningly.

"Wha-" He started but Hanzo cut him off.

"Now" He said smiling as if nothing had happened. "What was it that was so important, huh?"

Kyra knew that if he prodded, all that would happen is a casual dismissal, no matter how hard he tried to breach the gates he would always be rebuffed. Accepting fate, Kyra stood and dusted himself off. "Kushina is going into labor; Hokage-sama wants you to organize a contingent of Naitosutōkā nin as a personal guard, as well as organize the hidden location where she will give birth to her child." The young shinobi said quickly before turning dropping down off the cliff.

Hanzo's eyes widened in surprise at the news, "Oh shit…" The Naitosutōkā commander quickly formed a strange seal with his hand and instantly, three teams of three, all Naitosutōkā elite's appeared in front of him. At once they fell to their knees, "Hanzo-sama" they all echoed at once.

Hanzo had no time to tell them off for their bowing and scraping, quick as an arrow, he began to issue orders. "Tsukka, take your team and…"

* * *

**Hours later…**

"I still can't believe it's coming, right after we talked about it." Minato said with a sigh. "Why couldn't the Hyuuga or Uchiha see the cursed one's chakra on the mountain?"

Hanzo looked over at him and let out a slow breath, "Nature chakra. I spent the entire night separating the senjutsu energy from the cursed biju's chakra and it almost took control of me, I almost killed Kyra."

Minato turned fully at this and stared at his adviser in shock. Hanzo didn't react to this, instead choosing to look down at the village from atop the Hokage's tower. After a few seconds or so, Hanzo's head rose and he turned around just in time to catch four black clad officer's drop in front of him onto their knees.

"Kajima-kun" The officer in question snapped his head up, his face hidden by the blank steel plate of the Konoha hunter-nin department, a red stained dadao with nine rings attached to the back of the blade was slung over his back. "The evacuation is going well I presume? We have not much time left."

The man nodded and cleared his throat, his voice made deeper by the seals in the mask. "Affirmative Hanzo-sama, Thirty-five percent of the villagers are safe in the caverns." at Hanzo's nod the man flickered away in a shunshin.

Hanzo turned to the next officer just as an Uchiha and a Hyuuga burst in before the Hokage and began to babble on about a massive surge of energy in the direction behind the Hokage Mountain.

"Makimori-chan, you will organize the medical ninja and order the young to proceed into the caverns and the rest to stand by." The female Naitosutōkā officer hurried off with a salute.

Hanzo turned to the last two shinobi who were now awaiting their orders. "Habi-kun, Moka-kun, every capable jōnin and above will be rounded up to await my-"

Hanzo paused as he heard Minato begin to tell his messengers to organize his personal guard. "-The lord Hokage's command." He corrected. "All Naitosutōkā except you two, my team and my personal guard will be part of this force."

The two nodded their assent, although they remained still "And then afterwards what of us Hanzo-sama?" The one that spoke was a heavily muscled man; a small scroll was strapped to each of his arms.

Hanzo stood, "We will confront the cursed biju. As Akuma shinobi, it is only fitting."

The two looked up with near identical grins. One had smoky grey eyes with vermillion pupils, the strange set of eyes being a tell-tale sign of an Akuma shinobi. The other looked up as well and grinned. He had mismatched eyes; one eye was an unholy, pupiless purple haze, the other was an equally pupiless, piercing saffron yellow. It was obvious that he too was an Akuma shinobi. They both in turn handled unique weapons, the man with the scrolls wielded an exquisitely crafted set of twin hedge axes, and the other sported an equally impressive samurai katana, a reward from his commander when he had fulfilled his drunken dare, to learn the way of the bushido.

They stood and touched their palms to their heart before disappearing in their respective shunshin's, Hanzo meanwhile looked at a still slightly startled Minato. He could understand of course, instantly after coming back from his month long trip, he was thrown into battle just as his wife began to give birth to his child. It was still so surreal; one moment ago there had been nothing wrong. Then a moment later and all was thrown into disarray, he had his Naitosutōkā preparing since the moment Kyra had dragged him out of his trance like state brought on by the close call with the Senjutsu energy, he had been lucky to have only been exposed to the mere remnants of the cursed biju's chakra that had almost made him murder his student. He shuddered at the thought of even being near the beast, he was sure he would have gone mad with bloodlust.

Despite his efforts, he felt it still wasn't enough; the civilians as of now were currently being herded into the caverns he used as the Naitosutōkā HQ and training facility. He stopped to think about the area for a second, could it withstand a Biju? He reasoned that it had to; it had been built by the Shodai and then reinforced by the Nidaime. And finally, the Sandaime had used his earth style to bury the structure beneath the ground for extra space and security. But still, it would be put to waste if there wasn't enough time to use the damned thing. Hanzo once again cursed the village for being too big for its own good.

"Stay here Minato, I will tend to the demon." Hanzo declared, it was ironic. He was the one giving commands to the Hokage and not the other way around.

Minato bristled slightly; "There is no need to ris-" He started before Hanzo cut him off abruptly.

"-You must be here to guard your wife and child and make sure the Kyuubi does not get loose. That is your job, to defend the village as well as be there for your family. My job is to slaughter everything in a fifty mile radius, so you don't have to ever leave your paperwork unchecked." Hanzo stated gruffly before turning and fading away.

Minato frowned before nodding reluctantly; Hanzo gave him a familiar smile and faded away from view.

The Yondaime turned to walk into the cave before an unknown presence shifted behind him, forcing his concern for his friend to the back of his mind as his body instinctively curled around the kunai that was aiming for his spine.

**"Now here I thought that he would never leave."**

* * *

A small group stood atop the Hokage Mountain. Each was dressed in the unique garb of the Naitosutōkā division, yet their outfits were altered from the standard uniform, probably due to their high status in in the ranks.

There were seven in total, Hanzo's two team mates Shizuka and Yue. His personal guard consisting of a man and woman who wore the Naitosutōkā uniform, but instead of the usual colour of jet black, it was a whitish-grey. Each had their faces masked by a blank steel plate, they both also sported a crest over their heart sewn into the fabric, and beneath their clothes, a permanent inking of the same design, the design being a simple, yet elegant droplet within a droplet, in the centre rested flame.

As well as these four, Hanzo and his two other officers, Habi and Moka made up seven. They all were waiting their commander's orders, they knew what they were about to face. Hanzo did not care for honeyed words, he told them bluntly what he needed of them, and should they refuse he would not judge. Needless to say, everyone, even his sworn guards gave him an angry glare.

His team mates, Shizuka and Yue were off to the side, Shizuka taking a quick second to relax and Yue's eyes were firmly fixed on him. His two other officers were stood behind his honour guard, slightly peeved at not being the ones to protect their commander, but nonetheless, they made no arguments and stood silently waiting for commands.

Hanzo waited, he wasn't sure what for, but his instinct told him to wait, you didn't live very long as a shinobi if you didn't trust your instincts. Finally, Yue made her annoyance verbal. "Hanzo, what the fuck are we waiting for?" She asked heatedly, the talk of a great fight had made her blood rush, but all this waiting just began to make her frustrated.

She felt two sets of strange eyes snap onto her and bore into her back, but she ignored it and pressed on. She was used to his soldiers reacting violently whenever she addressed him without the utmost respect, and in all honesty. She didn't care.

"You talk of destruction of the village and mortal peril but nothing is -"

Almost as if on cue, Yue was forced to close her mouth and hastily stick to the ground with chakra as a massive earthquake rippled across the open plains and cracked into the mountain itself. She opened her mouth to curse but was forced to shield her face as an ungodly roar tore its way through the air. The sheer volume of the sound made the wind slam into the group atop the mountain with stunning force.

Hanzo stood against the wind nonchalantly, not even blinking at the onrushing typhoon. However inside his gut squirmed, he paled in comparison to the true demon. His confidence in his ability to take down a biju was shaken.

The others were all caught off guard and barely managed to brace against the mini typhoon that had smacked into them. It was a full five seconds before the wind finally crashed against the Hokage Mountain and died.

Hanzo tried to keep his mouth closed. But he just couldn't resist.

"That is what I was waiting for."

That said, he took off with astonishing speed, his two officers following close behind as well as Shizuka. It took a moment for the two honour guards to gather themselves and pursue, it took even longer for Yue to take in just how thoroughly Hanzo had handed her ass to her. Finally, with a groan, she leapt down and quickly began to catch up with the main party.

* * *

The Naitosutōkā officer wielding the red hued dadao named Kajima felt the Shinigami's cold fingers run up his spine as a terrifying roar split the heavens above. He realized Hanzo was right, there was not much time left.

Yet even as the entire ninja population below jōnin was assisting him in evacuating the village, progress was at a pace slower than limping. He now wondered why Hanzo never agreed to Habi's suggestion to simply reduce the population by a couple thousand. There were only about a thousand citizens in the safety of the caverns, with several thousand more to go, Kajima had a worrying doubt cross his mind as he urged the civilians to a greater pace, however he forcefully crushed it.

"I won't fail you nii-sama" He muttered quietly.

A nearby chuunin glanced at him curiously, if not slightly fearfully "Umm, Did you say something taicho?"

Kajima snarled angrily as he gestured towards the infinitely slow herd of people, "I said get them moving damn it!" he snapped.

The chuunin recoiled a pace as he saluted, "H-hai!"

* * *

Minato ducked instinctively, before jumping up and over the enemy. Who that was, he had yet to find out. Landing gracefully, Minato leapt back to put distance between his attacker and looked up, he found himself intrigued by what he saw.

It was a man, small in stature and build, wearing a navy blue cloak and an orange mask with a spiral design. It had only one eye-hole. Minato frowned at this; '_Hmm, let's see if his depth perception is off.'_

With the fluency of years of practice, the fourth Hokage drew and instantly threw four kunai, one directly behind the other by less than a second. He was drawn up short however when the masked man casually flicked each one away with his own kunai. '_Scratch that then…'_

The man laughed knowingly, his voice was deep and menacing. "No lord fourth, I am not visually impaired in any way. I tell you this, since you will die today."

The fourth Hokage snorted indignantly, not deigning to grace the man with speech; instead he flickered from view only to reappear behind his opponent. He thrust the kunai precisely between the third and fourth lumbar expecting a soft squishy noise and a pop. He was not expecting however, his kunai to simply pass through the unknown enemy.

Minato stumbled forward and through the seemingly fake opponent. _Could it be just a simple bunshin?_

Minato's answer came as a foot drove itself into his back, making him roll forward. Recovering quickly, the lord fourth cursed as he stared his opponent down.

"What in the Nidaime's name?" He muttered to himself.

The masked man simply chuckled and flew forward with blinding speed and launched a thundering haymaker towards the leaf's Hokage, Minato ducked and swung at his opponents exposed midsection. His mind muddled in confusion once again as his arm passed harmlessly through him, he baulked slightly as he found that he could see _through_ the masked man. And then, just he began to wonder what was happening, the opacity cleared up and he could no longer see through the him, it was at this moment Minato knew he had fallen for a trap. All he could manage to do was roll with the blow that connected to the side of his head

Coming out from the roll, Minato stood uncertainly before he settled his features, his face shifting from Minato Namikaze into the visage of the Leaf's esteemed Hokage. '_It seems he becomes fully formed only to attack me; otherwise he just lets my attacks pass right through him. It's now I wish I knew Orochimaru's hebi style.' _Minato thought to himself in annoyance.

The duo engaged in a brief, but expert bout of Taijutsu, the Yondaime dodged the man's blows expertly, but was unable to find an opening to strike back. And when he did, his attacks just swung through him.

Minato jumped back, he had an idea but it was a long shot. The Hokage steeled himself before closing his eyes and concentrating. He had only managed this feat once, and doing it flawlessly now would be a stroke of luck considering the masked man was watching him like a hawk. It was now in the heat of a strange battle did he need to focus. After a full second, the Yondaime opened his eyes and unleashed his full force of killing intent upon the man, not caring in the slightest as the masked stranger merely clapped sarcastically in response. With a near undetectable shunshin later Minato found himself inside the guard of a slightly startled enemy. With a sly grin, the Yondaime unleashed his signature move.

"**Rasengan!" **Minato roared as he drove a rapidly spinning, raw chakra sphere into his surprised opponent, only to have his attack once again pass through the man harmlessly.

The masked man sighed in mock disappointment, "You really are the most pathetic excuse for a Hokage I have ever laid eyes on." The masked man leered before delivering a viscous backhand to the stunned Kage.

"Wrong." Minato whispered as he drove a kunai through the side of the masked man's head just as the Minato that had been struck vanished with a cloud of white smoke. Minato sighed, the Kage bunshin Kawarimi was difficult to preform with seals, but thankfully he had managed it. He was about to step back when the masked man disappeared with an audible 'pop' and a cloud of black smoke.

_'Kage bunshin?' _He questioned in confusion.

It took Minato a second to realize that this entire encounter had just been a diversion, a ploy to get his attention. His eyes widened in horror before he turned and sprinted into the bunker, noticing the slaughtered bodies of the Naitosutōkā elites sprawled across the entrance, further strengthening his realisation.

_'Damn it!'_

* * *

**AN: **Since this was basically a single piece of writing, all of the translations and such will be on the next chapter.


	2. Prologue, part II

**AN: **Based on a recommendation by a friend of mine, I have decided to split this prologue into two. As it was too fucking long.

* * *

Hanzo felt fear overcome him, the feeling was so… Unfamiliar. Since his childhood, he had eradicated all traces of it, or so he had thought. But now it consumed him, rooting his body into the ground, he could already tell each and every one of his group was in the same sorry state as him.

One moment he had been running full pelt towards the enemy, the next he found his mind forcefully ripped open to pull out the primal fear he had locked away and forgotten about. The beast rose from behind the distant mountains like a colossal demon clawing its way out of hell to wreak havoc. It simply stood staring at them with its nightmarish, venomous green eyes, a giant, hellish wolf that was covered entirely in jet black fur clawing up a mountain three times the size of the Hokage monument as if it was nothing more than a small hill. Seven jet black tails as long as the beast was tall waved ominously in the air, as if it was taunting them.

Hanzo was the first to recover, pulling the spear off his back in one fluid motion, he held it horizontally parallel to the ground while placing his palms together in the traditional meditating fashion and began to make seals, all the while his weapon never moved a fraction as he flew through the hand signs.

He looked up with blazing golden eyes, his aura leaking out of him in a display of sheer power before he finished his last seal.

The Hattori lord grunted in exertion as he began to spin his spear at a manic speed. At the centre, a mini chakra ball formed as Hanzo poured chakra into the jutsu. Raising his rapidly spinning spear to the sky, Hanzo drew the electricity from the air currents and brought it down to face the now rapidly approaching demon.

**"Ninpō: Kami nanbu no uzu!** (Ninja Art: Divine Southern Vortex)" Hanzo roared as the small condensed chakra ball empowered by lightning and wind spread into the spear, which then expelled the energy out in a massive tornado of devastation. The jutsu tore through the earth and demolished the landscape as it barrelled towards its target.

In response, the demon merely blinked and stood on two legs like a man would as its entire arm became alight with emerald green, demonic chakra. It growled disdainfully before unleashing a burst of speed to meet the oncoming attack, not even the gods themselves could have followed it with the sheer speed of which the creature moved. The Junibi swung its giant, chakra laced claw at the onrushing blast of elemental chakra.

The result was catastrophic.

A massive explosion of elemental fury encompassed a massive amount of land, destroying it and uprooting trees before the electricity from the jutsu set the wood aflame.

Hanzo paled understandably as in the centre of the smoke, the massive biju lumbered out, it's eyes glowing green with demonic energy. Its mouth twisted in a mocking leer as it flicked its tails around childishly, smashing trees and even crushing an entire town in the distance with a single tail.

Yue's face was blank; a blank mask of fear that was so intense physical emotions could not convey it. Shizuka spluttered uncontrollably as his aura of calm was thrown out the window.

"A-an S-ranked ninjutsu? I-it simply punched away one of the most powerful jutsu's I've ever seen?" Shizuka gasped out in a haggard voice, his mind still numb from the sheer amount of chakra that had just been thrown around.

Hanzo growled angrily and began to whirl his spear around again right up until Habi tackled him with bone cracking force, sending them both flying into a large boulder. He had no time to ask what the Akuma shinobi was doing as a typhoon-like rush of air several times the size of the one he had launched came roaring past them by inches and eviscerating where he had been standing.

Hanzo's almost dropped his spear when he saw his two white-clad 'elite' guards turn into red paste that sprayed into the sky before coming down to rain blood and bits of bone. Such was the force of the attack.

Hanzo was shocked, either of those two were enough to take on a full team of chuunin. Seeing them being turned into red blotches across the earth in under an instant was mind numbing. "W-what?" Hanzo managed just before he was dragged away by Habi yet again as the cursed biju burst forward at an astonishing pace, covering the miles between them in an instant.

Habi cursed and wrapped his arm tightly around his commander before making use of an advanced body flicker to evade the tail that descended to crush them. The evil-eyed shinobi turned to his commander and shook him harshly, "Hanzo-sama!" He roared at the shell-shocked Hattori. Hanzo's eyes cleared up as he looked up at his subordinate "Stop this nonsense!"

Hanzo shook his head free from the images of his two guards… No, his two friends, brutal death. Standing slowly, he stared up at the demon that was now watching him intently, his tails keeping the others at bay as he stared down the so called 'Demon Shinobi'

Hanzo felt a deep rage surge through him as his golden yellow eyes seemed to glow violently. Baring his canines, the Hattori lord closed his hand around the weapon that materialized in his hand and charged forwards with a wordless roar, his feet seemingly eating up the distance between man and beast. As he did so, a very faint golden hue began to surround the Naitosutōkā commander.

The demon ticked its head sideways slightly before rearing its hand back to slam it into the ground. Only to turn in anger as a red hot wire wrapped around its wrist and surprisingly managed to reduce the thundering speed of its attack into a mere crawl.

Rearing its great head, the wolf biju glared at a man with two differently colored eyes desperately heaving on two glowing hot chains that stretched out from his hands, each chain was connected to an axe that had buried itself into the flesh of the the wolfish beast's wrist.

The monster narrowed its eyes in what looked to be anger or some vile sense of amusement before letting loose a burst of horrid strength and ripping the man from his perch atop the cliff into the sky. The demon realized its mistake of focusing on a singular opponent as a javelin made of fire came blazing towards it.

* * *

Shizuka hurriedly jumped away from a wildly flailing tail only to find that he had been lured into the path of another's downward slam. Making quick use of a shunshin and a Kage bunshin to hurl him clear of the attack he stopped to assess the situation. Yue had her hands full with two of the beast's tails and the other Naitosutōkā captain with the multi-colored eyes was currently being rebuffed by another three.

Shizuka prepared to try and divert the beast's attention yet again when he noticed the biju begin to swing at Hanzo who was now charging the beast with reckless abandon, the Hattori lord seemed to have no inclination to dodge.

Before Shizuka could even so much as move, the captain had realised the idiocy of trying to barge his way through the seven-tailed fiend and had jumped up to the high ground that kept him level with the Demon's head, he had obviously seen the impending danger towards his commander as well. The odd-eyed shinobi unsealed the scrolls on each bicep by touching each with two fingers, out of them a glowing, red hot chain snaked out and wrapped themselves around his arms, burning itself into his skin as well as the handles of his axes.

Shizuka's eyes widened as he realized what the man was planning.

"NO! Don't!" He tried to shout but it was too late. The man had hurled both of his weapons that successfully managed to bite deep into the beast's forearm.

In all his life, Shizuka had only ever seen three things that could have ever equated to something that awed him as much as this man had. The first had been when Hanzo had driven Ishigakure no Sato into literal extinction after hearing that they were horribly abusing their own citizens, selling them as slaves and using them in forced labour, on top of conspiring with Kusa to go to war against their generous benefactors. Konoha. The Hattori lord had slaughtered the village council and the Shisui in one fell swoop before evacuating the civilians and blowing the entirety of Ishigakure off the map with jutsu after jutsu. He invited the innocent into the surrounding villages in Hi no Kuni and oversaw every man, woman and child with coin from his own pocket.

The second had been when he had heard that Kyra himself had cowed Tsume no kuni and Shiryokugakure no Sato into submission by himself. He had went into a rage filled frenzy after witnessing thousands upon thousands of loyal, Hi no Kuni samurai die to a betrayal of treaties made by Tsume and Shiryoku themselves. In the dead of night as the Hi no Kuni forces slept in 'Allied' territory, they were butchered. Only after Kyra had methodically decimated their forces by slaughtering their leaders, did he cease his wanton slaughter and seek recompense by living with the monks.

The third was when Minato had singlehandedly decimated forty-three of sixty Iwagakure ninja divisions in the war, sending Iwa running and ending the third shinobi war.

But now, this was something to add to the list if he survived.

Moka's figure was violently consumed by blue, purple tinged chakra exploded out of him as he unleashed every ounce of strength he had to give his master an opening. The mountain cracked under the pressure of the demon's strength but Moka stood firm as he halted the giant, chakra infused claw that could have destroyed a quarter of Konoha in a single swipe.

Shizuka barely managed to duck under a flailing tail due to his amazement as he pondered gravely.

_'Kami… Is this the power of the Akuma shinobi?'_

* * *

**Inside the safe house **(Minato vs. Masked man)

"Oh my dear Hokage… You are a smart one aren't you?" The masked man said as he turned to face him.

Minato felt the blood drain from his face, Hanzo's greatest and most battle decorated troops besides the captains themselves were sprawled across the ground, bleeding from various places, Biwako the Sandaime's wife crumpled to floor as the spiral masked-man let her fall from his bloody grasp. But what made him almost lose control of his emotion was the crying form of his wife, Uzumaki Kushina as she tried to sit up with her firstborn child still wrapped in a bundle of orange blankets. He almost lost it when he caught sight of a spiky bush of yellow hair, identical to his…

_'Naruto…'_

"Well… I see we are at a dilemma here lord fourth." He paused to tear the child out of Kushina's grasp, she wailed in pain as her weak fingers had not enough strength to hold onto her child. Minato took several steps forward in fury before coming to an abrupt stop as the masked man brought up a strangely shaped kunai to his newborn son's throat.

He turned his attention back to the seething Hokage as he stroked the newborn's face mockingly. "It was smart of you to wait for my body to become physical by luring me out and then attack." The man chuckled, although it was obvious there was no real mirth in it. "Very quick-witted of you." He commended.

He sighed casually before holding Naruto out in his hand away from him, "_But. _I have not the time to find out which one of us is the better. Alas."

The masked man disdainfully tossed the child over his head and at the same moment pivoted to flick his kunai that went sailing towards the airborne infant. In a flash of yellow, Minato was there, clutching his child in one hand the strange kunai in the other. He looked back but the strange man and his wife were gone.

It was only when he heard hissing did the Yondaime realize he was holding a kunai that was wrapped with a paper bomb, a red paper bomb.

In another flash of yellow light, the Yondaime appeared inside his old house far behind the Hokage Mountain, he then hurled the kunai out of the window, off the side of the cliff. Apparently just in time as he could see the top of the explosion peeking out from the cliff edge. Resting his son on the bed, he turned to give chase to the masked man when a flood of ungodly killer intent made him stumble into a wall. Regaining his senses, Minato walked over to the window.

What he saw made his fingers go numb.

Minato had never felt such fear to the extent that he did now as his eyes seemed to be locked onto the form of the gargantuan, seven tailed wolf. It was a strange feeling of dread, like every last vestige of hope had been torn from him and burned in front of his eyes.

He only managed to regain himself thanks to the pillar of flames hurled by Hanzo himself that managed to catch the demon off guard, forcing the beast to sacrifice its left shoulder to the A-ranked jutsu. However the demon merely shrugged it off and slammed the Hattori lord back into the earth with one of its numerous tails.

For a fleeting second, Minato had thought that Hanzo was dead. But the enraged Hattori alleviated him of that thought as the tail that pinned him down rocketed to the sky as a thundering gust of wind forced it up and away.

Minato nodded, satisfied that Hanzo still had enough in him to hold down the beast for a few moments longer and disappeared with a flash of yellow light, albeit regretfully. He reappeared in a clearing where he found Kushina bound by chains, limbs stretched out wide as the masked man finished his last hand seal and slammed a glowing hand into Kushina's stomach.

There was a pause of silence for a heartbeat before her shrill scream split open the air as a burning red, liquid like chakra spewed out from the seal on her stomach. Minato grit his teeth in anger and shot forward, he was forced to divert his course however as the masked man blurred into his path to meet him. Minato did not falter however as his two glowing fingers managed to touch the man's chest just before he became ethereal allowing the Yondaime to pass through him.

Just as he passed through him however, Minato was sent careening backwards as a fiery red chakra slammed into him with tremendous force. Kushina's head lolled to the side as she struggled to keep conscious, but what now caught the attention of both men was the giant, demon fox now baring its teeth at the two men.

Minato felt the blood drain from his face as the masked man started to laugh; it was deep and mocking. He must have drawn the Kyuubi's attention, for the fiend had turned its great head and narrowed a blood red eye at the man before tensing in anger.

**"Uchiha…." **It growled venomously.

Yet the man seemed unperturbed, he merely looked up into the eyes of the beast and clapped, "Clever of you, you must be the smartest of all the biju. However that's not saying much..." Before the beast could do anything, the man raised a finger to his single eye, "You are well acquainted with this process, I'm sure." The was a surge of chakra before the beast recoiled as if it had been struck

Minato saw it instantly, the way the beast seemed to be absorbed in some kind of trance before it opened its eyes once more and instead of the blood red eye and the black slitted pupil, there was the mangekyou sharingan, the masked man's mangekyou sharingan to be exact.

The masked man chuckled before turning to face the glow ahead of them that Konoha produced. "Now Kyuubi, my pet, destroy Konoha, leave it a city of ash and rubble!"

As the beast simply began to stalk towards the village in its trance like state, Minato was forced to forget about it and entrust the village to the Sandaime as he dodged a hail of fireballs.

The masked man was standing, his hands still in the dragon seal as he stepped forward. "Yondaime Hokage, your battle is still with me! **Katon: ****Housenka no jutsu! **(Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Fire Technique)" Out of his mouth spewed another dozen fireballs.

Minato flipped over the first few before forming a rasengan in his hand that he used to bat the rest away. In a flash of yellow he appeared inside the guard of the startled man, the Yondaime hammered two quick blows into the masked man's side before attempting to slam the rasengan home. What he didn't expect however, was the void that opened from the eye-hole in the man's mask that disrupted his chakra and gave him the disturbing feeling of being sucked through a narrow tube.

First the rasengan fell from the lack of control, and then his entire body began to flicker away before he disappeared yet again in another brilliant flash of light.

The spiral masked man hummed quietly to himself before turning to hop up a tree, where he spied the Hokage coughing raggedly atop the Hokage Mountain. "My, you are certainly quick lord Hokage, to escape from the Kamui…"

When he heard a rustle of chains behind him, he turned only to see another brief flash of light. Kushina was gone.

_'To undo the seals placed on those chains and take her away in the space of seconds? You deserve your title Yellow flash of the leaf.'_

* * *

Nothing was working. He had thrown everything he had into his attacks and the most he had been able to do was cut off half a tail, which of course had regenerated almost instantly. Hanzo regained his feet slowly after just being batted away like nothing more than a nuisance and looked on at the beast grimly. It was faster than anything he had ever seen, stronger than anything he had ever seen, and could shrug off almost all of his most powerful techniques except his most powerful jutsu, yet he was certain that should he attempt that again his arms would turn into mush.

Looking around, Hanzo felt shocked at the amount of destruction they had caused. Moka and Habi had both gone out in a blaze of glory, sacrificing themselves so he could deliver a serious blow, which resulted in one of the biju's tails being sliced in half. Shizuka had gone missing after the wolf had created a massive ball of pure electricity in its claw before slamming it full force into his immediate area, turning that entire section into one, big, lethal electrical field. Yue was also down; he had seen her being battered repeatedly by three of the demon's tails before finally being slammed into the ground. Whether she was dead or unconscious, he didn't know. But it was only him facing off against the biju alone now.

He had been on his own ever since he felt another massive, evil chakra spike towards the west, past Konoha, and soon after that he began to hear explosions.

Hanzo was forced to cut his thoughts short as a claw doused in greenish lightning came hurtling down on his previous position. Only his raw speed and animal instinct saved him at that moment, but he had known the demon was merely toying with him now.

The biju manipulated the elements much like a shinobi would, without seals or any sign of moulding its chakra it simply began to launch monstrous attacks. Its lightning rivaled thunderstorms, its fire was as hot as the sun and the hurricanes it pushed around like toys were more devastating than those of Kami-sama's.

Yet Hanzo would not give up, flying towards the demon in a burst of speed, he used the tail that was sent to attack him as a spring board before his spear lit up with fire. Forming another massive column of flames that he held in his hand.

He threw it. The spear of fire thundered off with such speed it created a small sonic boom that threw Hanzo off trajectory, instead of landing on the beast's snout like he intended, he ended up smacking into its shoulder…

Only he would have had he not passed through a shroud of smoke where the demon wolf should have been. Looking up as he finally cleared the black smoke he saw his attack sailing away far behind him, looking back, instead of a wolfish head on fire, there was just a gaping hole in the smoke that took the biju's form. It was like the beast simply turned into smoke to avoid his attack.

When the smoke solidified into the biju and it turned to swing a giant arm laced with what looked like be a strange, reddish fire that dripped off its arm and scorched the earth. Hanzo knew that was exactly what had happened.

A hasty shunshin saved Hanzo from a terrible death, but he had not gotten off lightly. A claw managed to nick his shoulder, the fire so potent it began to burn him at a molecular level, scorching cells and spreading rapidly.

Screaming in pain, Hanzo did the only thing he could. He took the single-edged knife from the scabbard at the back of his hip and scraped off whatever flesh he had on his shoulder that was on fire, resulting in his bone and cartilage showing for the world to see. Gritting his teeth, the Hattori lord sank to one knee slowly; he only had a bit more chakra left. It would serve for only one more S-ranked jutsu.

Looking up, he prepared to launch into another assault before a deep, rumbling growl stopped him in his tracks. It spoke.

**"You deserve your title. Akuma shinobi Hanzo."**

Its voice was deep, gravelly and filled with the most vicious of feelings. It was angry, scarily so. Hanzo pushed his astonishment down before he spread his stance wider.

"You… Know my name?" He asked cautiously.

The beast narrowed its eyes. It snarled in disdain as it leaned forward more. **"You were foolish to provoke me, you would have suffered only after I had killed the fox." **It paused to lower itself onto all fours before its emerald eyes glinted dangerously.** "Sobokuna…"**

Hanzo bristled quietly before the massive wolf's words clicked in his head. "What fox? What are you talking about?" the Hattori demanded, he needed answer. The wolf was talking in riddles, and he had no time for them.

As if on cue, there was a massive explosion. A massive cloud of billowing smoke rose from his village and he could see the tiny dot-like figures of shinobi sprinting to meet the attack. He could barely hear the roar from some ungodly beast, but it was no less terrifying. '_What? What is going on?'_

The wolf smirked as it saw panic start to spread across Hanzo's features. **"The fox-"**

The Junibi had to cut its sentence short to evade a massive scythe of wind that gouged the earth where it had been standing. It looked back; ready to let its displeasure be heard when what it saw made it think twice. Hanzo stood, his teeth bared and his muscles bulged in a primal display of wrath, his golden eyes were almost blinding as the heavens darkened suddenly and lightning began to split the sky repeatedly.

Hanzo radiated a powerful golden energy, the sound rivaled a thousand galloping horses and the force was enough to make the trees bend. He had succumbed fully to his rage.

The Junibi merely shook its head in annoyance despite the biju-like power being displayed in front of him. **"Your fate is decided, I will rend your flesh scum!****"**

* * *

The fight had gone on for too long, Minato decided. For too long had he heard the screams of his subordinates and the seen the smoke from his village. For too long had he endured this man's piercing taunts. It was time to end it.

He disappeared in the blink of an eye and instantly reappeared in front of the masked man, slamming a rasengan into his stomach too quickly for the man to activate his fading technique.

The man managed to lessen the blow by hurling himself backwards, but there were barely five layers of skin holding his guts inside. Coughing raggedly, he managed to activate his technique just as a kunai passed through his skull and instantly behind it was another, glowing rasengan. But he didn't fall for it, he kept it up until the kunai passed through him, then it would be a simple matter to transport the Hokage's head into a void of nothingness. Just the head, nothing attached.

But it all went wrong; the blasted Hokage disappeared with another flash, drilling the rasengan into his back. He barely heard what the Yondaime said before he was forced to strain his sharingan to the limit and escape before passing out.

* * *

"**Ninpō: Kawarimi no Hiraishin**(Ninja Art: Flying Thunder god's body replacement)"

The Hokage stated grimly before the man stumbled forwards and disappeared in a swirl. The sealed kunai he had used to teleport was embedded into a tree; he began to head towards it, completely detached from the world when a massive explosion snapped him out of his stupor. Gritting his teeth, Minato flashed away to the Sandaime's side. He took a moment to appreciate the fact that he had slapped his teleportation seal on everything he could find. Including that masked man and almost every ninja in the village.

It took a while for the Sandaime to realize that Minato was in fact next to him, but seeing his mop of spiky yellow hair made him breathe a sigh of relief.

"Minato!" he shouted to snap the Yondaime's attention to him rather than the red furred monster currently destroying the village. Seeing that he managed to catch his attention, Hiruzen spoke again, albeit in a much calmer tone. "Where have you been? We cannot fight back much longer; the Kyuubi is powerful beyond words."

But the Yondaime instead of answering looked intently into the eyes of the beast. It was no longer the pinwheel mangekyou sharingan; its eyes had reverted to the blood red iris and black, slitted pupil. But now there was an unhealthy amount of anger and hate reflecting out of them.

Minato looked to his right and felt the air leave his lungs in a hurry. The entire lower quartile of the village had suffered some sort of silent carnage; there was no rubble, no trace of blood or corpses. Merely a giant crater in the ground.

"What caused this?" He asked sharply, turning to his predecessor.

Hiruzen in turn frowned as he responded, "A strange attack, the Kyuubi opened its mouth and produced a small black ball and fired it at the village. The result was deva-"

Hiruzen was cut off as glowing figure came barreling _through_ the Hokage mountain in a spray of destruction to crash again through several buildings before finally coming to stop on a roof. Both the current Hokage and the previous looked on in astonishment as a rage induced, glowing Hanzo let loose a howling roar before disappearing with such speed the building he had been standing on exploded from the sudden shock of kinetic force that Hanzo had exerted.

Hiruzen seemed unable to speak before he cleared his throat hastily, "W-what is happening up there?" he finally managed.

Minato turned to face the Kyuubi just as it raised its head again and chakra began to gather into a ball inside its gaping maw. "Hanzo is battling against the Cursed biju." Minato said with a fierce resolve "We must do our part as well."

He left the Sandaime speechless as he sprinted with all the speed he possessed towards the Kyuubi no Yoko, his steps left cracks on the rooftops as he fought to reach the beast in time before it let loose the apparently catastrophic attack.

Twenty meters away and he had run out of buildings to travel across, Minato bunched his muscles and took a mighty leap. His two fingers were outstretched and glowing with chakra before he realized he would not make it in time. He flicked his other hand and another, thinner and shorter sealed kunai sprang into his wrist. With a quick flourish the kunai went sailing through the air before it stuck into the beast's chest with a meaty 'thud'.

There was a bright flash of yellow as the airborne Hokage and Biju disappeared, then a beat, and then a 'Boom!' so loud it boxed the elderly ex-Kage's ears.

The next thing Hiruzen and the shinobi of Konohagakure no Sato saw was a massive explosion reduce an entire mountain to dust a good thirty miles away.

Minato weathered the storm as a brilliant light surrounded the area around him. Looking up when he deemed it safe, he tensed nervously. Everything behind him had been vaporized, he had only managed to survive thanks to the fact he had been hanging off the Kyuubi by the kunai he had embedded into its chest.

Letting go, he allowed himself to free-fall before landing lightly in a crouch. He pivoted sharply and jumped back, the beast merely glared at him with its red eyes.

"I cannot allow you to endanger the people of Konoha and Hi no Kuni. I will stop you here." It was a brave speech, but Minato felt the weariness flood through him, reminding him that he had just teleported both himself and a tailed beast nearly thirty miles away. The chakra drain had been enormous, disregarding the fact that he had already battled the masked man twice which had also taken a noticeable amount of chakra.

The beast's hackles raised as it bared its razor sharp teeth; apparently, telling it what it can and can't do induces anger.

Who would have thought?

A wild notion ran through Minato's mind, his heart told him to apologize while his brain told him to kill it where it stood. One idea was utterly insane and the other was utterly impossible.

It was at this moment when something that Hanzo had said clicked, he searched vainly through his memories. Unfortunately for him however, the Kyuubi was done waiting.

It charged forward with incredible speed, it was a testament to Minato's reflexes and speed as he managed to leap over the claw that had tried to turn him into a red coat of paint spilt across grass.

Backpedaling furiously, Minato quickly embedded another six, normal kunai into the beasts arm. When smoke began to rise out from the biju's nose, Minato realised he had only made it more angry. Preforming a quick set of seals, the Yondaime slammed his palms into the ground.

"**Doton: Doryuuheki! **(Earth Release: Earth-style wall)"

A twenty foot tall and thirty foot wide wall made from stone and condensed minerals rose from the ground in front of the Yondaime just as a massive torrent of flames spout from the demon fox's mouth. Minato cut his sigh of relief short when his five foot thick diamond-hard wall instantly cracked under the pressure of the fire and the air began to heat up rapidly. Minato cursed, '_What kind of flames are these!?__'_

Thinking quickly, Minato lobbed a sealed kunai into the sky and just as the air became too hot to breathe in he was airborne sixty feet in the sky after a flash of yellow. Looking down, Minato frowned upon once again seeing the flames that had been brought up seemingly from the depths of hell. Ironically, he couldn't have known how hard he had just hit the nail on the head.

Minato had no wish to meet those flames, or to breathe in the now super heated air; he was forced to avert certain death by plucking the now falling kunai out of the air and once again hurling it behind and past the Kyuubi.

_'This is much more difficult than I had originally thought. And I had thought it impossible at first...'_

* * *

The wolf biju was annoyed. Never in its eras of existence had it met such a persistent and absolutely idiotic nuisance. It had slammed the Hattori lord through every mountain it could see, it had crushed him over and over to no avail, and every element that Kami had bestowed upon the world had been used to turn the man inside and out. Only… It hadn't.

The Hattori was nigh indestructible, as soon as he had been overcome with the forbidden bloodline ability of his clan that turned every thought to that of mayhem and destruction, the Hattori became a conduit for energy and chakra, the abundance of trees around them shriveled into dried husks as the Akuma shinobi sucked up every ounce of natural energy around him. His injuries healed instantly and his speed and strength had doubled over so many times it had forgotten about the tiny little impacts the Hattori had dealt before. The old wolf's fight had gotten intense.

Adding to that, the beast itself was just one colossal chakra deposit, a never ending supply of chakra for the angry, glowing man.

Not that it was of any consequence since within seconds the Junibi's chakra would be topped up from its own pillaging of the surrounding area for energy.

But enough was enough, the Akuma shinobi was an obstacle… There was no such thing as an obstacle for the holder of the Rikudō Sennin's soul.

Slapping the Hattori lord away for the final time, the ancient wolf felt its throat being set ablaze as fire more potent than the flames of the Amaterasu roared to life within its chest.

With a final glare at the now airborne Hattori lord, the demon let loose the flames of the underworld.

When the biju finally closed its smoking mouth, it narrowed its eyes in anger. Hanzo had averted his scorching death by breathing out air with hurricane force up into the sky, which propelled him down making his back collide harshly with the earth.

That wasn't what made the demon angry, it could have simply eviscerated the man as he struggled back to his feet now. What made it hesitate was the abundance of hell-fire now setting the ground ablaze. It was no fool, the biju knew that the flames of hell did not care an ounce as to whether what it was burning was friend or foe. To fight the Hattori now would mean its own inevitable death.

However Hanzo did not seem to care, he had been staring silently at the flames eating at the Hokage mountain before simply vanishing into thin air.

The biju did not seem to notice, instead it roared in dark, manifested anger before suddenly pausing for a moment, as if concentrating before it's chest expanded and then contracted, letting loose a massive torrent of water. Certainly not ordinary water, for it glowed a fierce green as it swamped over the countryside like a tidal wave.

As mystic water met hell-fire, the water won out.

* * *

A panicked Hanzo barreled through the burning wreck that was once the grand estate of the Hattori.

Shielding his face from the demonic flames, Hanzo shouted loudly "Ina? INA!"

Meeting no response, Hanzo began to start up the stair just before it collapsed before him. Rolling backwards, he desperately struggled to avoid the flames before it consumed him. He knew from personal experience what would happen if he was even licked by one of those flames, running out of ideas, Hanzo blinked as an idea struck him. Looking up, he bunched his muscles together before jumping up with as much force as he could.

His idea paid off as he burst through the ceiling and was now standing atop the second floor. "INA!?" He called again, but there was still no answer.

Hanzo pushed the sickening images that began to sprout up to the back of his mind as he rushed up to his son's room. Pounding up the stairs, dodging a flaming beam and pieces of rubble along the way, Hanzo slammed open the door only to have his heart shatter at what he saw.

Leaning over the cot, was his life, his lover and the only thing that allowed him to sleep at night, impaled by a multitude of items that no doubt pierced into her as she tried to shield her child.

She was smiling at Reiji as she lay there. Wooden shards impaled her body, yet she still smiled, happy that she was able to look upon her child's face as she died.

Hanzo was over in a heartbeat, Reiji wasn't crying as he tried to wake up his mother, the tears were there, hidden behind the child's eyes, but they wouldn't fall, they couldn't.

Hanzo scooped his child up in his arms, careful not to touch any splinters that had lodged themselves into the newborn. Looking over to his wife, he wrapped his left arm around her in a way so that he could carry her bridal style.

He would have stood there and died as he gazed longingly at Ina's peaceful face. He would have been consumed by the flames had his son not nudged him out of his sorrow filled stupor. Dragging his gaze to Reiji, Hanzo was filled with a new hope as he stared into his golden eyes.

Ina was not dead, she was here. He could see her in his child's eyes… Screaming at him to move!

Reiji saved Hanzo yet again, in the reflection of his son's eyes Hanzo had seen the roof begin to collapse upon them. In a mad dash Hanzo bolted through the doorway, shouldered through the flimsy balcony doors and leaped off the balcony just as the entire roof collapsed. He landed just in time to turn and see a massive, greenish tsunami sweep over the entire northern section of Konoha, instantly snuffing out the flames.

He heard a gasp from behind him, turning, Hanzo saw Kyra fall to his knees in front of him. His eyes filled with tears as he stared at Ina's lifeless body in one hand and a bloodied ball of blankets in the other.

"I-i…" He couldn't finish and the tears finally fell. Hanzo sighed sadly; at least his apprentice wasn't like him. He could fell enough tears for the both of them.

Kneeling in front of his student, Hanzo placed the bundle of blankets in Kyra's lap, hearing the young man's shocked intake of air as the bundle shifted in his lap, indicating that Reiji was very much alive. Hanzo laid his wife down gently beside him.

He gripped Kyra's shoulder firmly and shook him, "Your duty as his godfather starts now, Kyra." He said, not unkindly. As Kyra nodded in a sign of understanding, Hanzo stood only to wince in pain. The after effects of letting loose his bloodline was beginning to remind him why he never used the admittedly powerful but excruciating ability. Regardless of the fact that he had only unlocked the first stage out of three, he knew in a few hours his coils would be battered out of shape and he'd be a mindless, wailing heap on the floor as the real pain kicked in.

Making a familiar seal, Hanzo pulsed his location to his only remaining officer who should have finished her duties through the seal on every Naitosutōkā nin's lower back.

Kyra lifted Reiji with numb fingers and looked at his face, strangely, gazing into the confused golden orbs of his godson gave him renewed strength. He finally managed to tear his gaze away from the child and looked up as Hanzo began to speak again.

"Maki-chan will be here to help you carry…" Hanzo cut off as a strange numbness pierced his heart causing him to rub the spot absently. It was a first, to feel… Emotion to such an extent, it was slightly overwhelming. He finished as the pain finally subsided, though he knew it would never fade completely. "To help you."

With that said, Hanzo faded away from sight.

Kyra stared at the spot Hanzo had just occupied seconds ago for a while. The coldness in his voice, the dead look in his eyes was terrifying. Face him against a legion of Kage and he would fight without fear. Tell him that he would be tortured for years on end and he would endure it with a smile. To see the one he held as a god among men and the sole reason why he was the man he was today, utterly broken? It was horrifying, and it hurt to ridiculous extent.

As Kyra finally regained his feet, he heard footsteps behind him. Turning, he caught sight of Maki, his team mate and fellow officer in the ranks.

He thanked Kami for the fact Maki had instantly figured out what had happened and already began to gently pick up the corpse of the woman he held as a sister or mother. He didn't trust his voice enough to speak.

* * *

Hanzo walked forward, staring into the eyes of the demon without emotion, the fear he had felt before was gone. Replaced by the cold numbness he had felt as his wife's soul left her body. There was nothing to stop the beast, there was nothing he could do besides the one thing that he would hate himself for. In his mind, he begged for Kyra and his son to forgive him, he begged for Minato and old man Sarutobi to understand. But he knew they never would, even the all wise and the noble 'Professor of Shinobi' would never forgive him, they would mourn, they would hate him, but it was necessary.

Step after step, still staring into the eyes of the demon Hanzo ripped open his shirt. He felt a peculiar pang of feeling ripple through his heart as his pendant swung freely in the wind, reaching up to the back of his neck; Hanzo untied it and let it fall to the scarred earth. The magatama like dot in the centre of his chest was bare for the world to see.

He was slightly confused at how easily he un-clipped the large knife strapped to his thigh and brought it to his left shoulder. He was even more confused as to why he felt nothing as he stuck the blade deep into his left shoulder until it met bone; from there he wrenched it across his chest until he finally stopped at his right shoulder.

All the while the Junibi simply stared at him, as if quizzing his actions with its glowing, emerald eyes.

Blood dribbled down his torso from the wound and a droplet ran straight down the middle through the magatama-like dot. When Hanzo touched his finger to it, the single tomoe started to glow and smoke began to rise from it as the ground began rumble ominously…

"If I must sacrifice myself to an eternity of hell just to see you suffer, I will endure it with satisfaction, Monster."

Hanzo smothered his blood onto his hands, coating it completely red before clapping his hands together. "**Kinji raremashi-k****uchiyose no Jutsu: ****Akuma no gisei **(Forbidden Summoning: A Demon's Sacrifice)"

* * *

Minato picked himself up slowly from the bed of debris he had been laying on. Or had been slammed on…

Spitting out an unhealthy amount of blood, the Yondaime frowned as the pendant he was wearing suddenly went cold. It was unnerving, much more so than it should have been. However he was forced to forget about it as the toad boss Gamabunta was sent careening back from an especially viscous smack from one of the Kyuubi no Yoko's nine tails.

The boss summon mimicked Minato's earlier actions as he slowly regained his feet, Minato felt a pang of guilt as he stared upon his comrade and friend. Gamabunta was ridiculously adamant when it came to protecting Minato, the young Kage felt as if he was taking advantage of the grizzly old toad when he looked upon the deep wounds, burns and slashes that littered the boss summons body.

As if sensing Minato's worried gaze, the boss toad turned his head, although never fully taking his attention off the growling demon fox. "**Stop it Arashi.**" His voice was deep and booming as he sent Minato a withering glare.

In response, Minato shook his head. "No, you stop this madness. Please Gamabunta-chan you need not injure yourself, return to Myōboku and tend to your wounds."

The giant toad fully turned, completely disregarding the demon fox as he stared at a heavily battered Minato as if he had three heads.

**"Have you lost your mind boy!?" **The boss toad roared angrily as he flicked Minato up atop his head and turned to face his snarling opponent. **"Don't you ever say that again, baka! I would not abandon you like this. As goes for every toad in Myōboku!"**

Minato felt a surge of warmth spread through him, but even as he rose from his knees his hands were coated in Gamabunta's blood from his impossible battle against the strongest of biju. Minato grit his teeth in a rare fury, it was infuriating. Due to his own incapability one of his friends were bleeding.

He would not have it be so.

Minato placed a gentle hand on Gamabunta's rough skin, "I will not see you injured any more on my behalf. I do not believe I can survive this battle-" He was interrupted by a disapproving rumble erupting from Gamabunta's throat, however he continued anyway, "Tell everyone… Thank you."

Before the boss toad could voice his protest he was being dispelled. The giant toad struggled against the inconceivable strength behind the pull of reverse summoning of the contract, finally feeling his strength being broken the toad roared in rage.

**"Damn you… Mina-" **And like that, he was gone in a massive explosion of smoke.

The fox stared on apathetically, however it was intrigued as to why the human would send away its only shield. It spelt inevitable death for the blonde haired Kage, it snorted in disdain as it realised that the blonde human wanted to preserve the pitiful frog. Noble, yet copious in the amounts of stupidity it depicted.

There was a flash as Minato disappeared and reappeared with a woman with fiery red hair cradled in his arms. Seeing the woman, the fox snarled in hate, it was Kushina. The recently made ex-Jinchuuriki

Said woman cried out suddenly as she realised that her son was no longer at her side, instead of his shock of yellow hair; she was suddenly looking at the night sky and reintroducing herself to the crisp air of Konoha.

Kushina looked up at her husband with a confused expression before gasping as she took in the damage he had sustained. His left shoulder was bared to the bone, several deep gashes rippled across his chest and from what she could feel as she wrapped her arms around him, on his back too, his clothes were none-existent now from the damage they had taken, only his pants and long sleeved sweater was left, although the sweater could now be called a vest…

Oddly enough, his face was still unmarred and she felt Minato's kind smile being mirrored on her face. "Minato?" she asked in a surprisingly weak voice, she even shocked herself.

Minato's smile faded as he heard her faltering voice, debating whether or not to voice his plan or not, he was forced to lay her down and divert the now-done-waiting fox's attention with a shadow clone.

"Kushina, forgive me. But I need your help." He said softly, it was obviously paining him to inconvenience her. But Kushina merely smiled as she felt renewed energy course through her as she rose to her knees.

She smile lovingly at him, "You don't need to even ask, I'm with you till the end ya' know?"

Minato smiled a small but genuine smile before his clone sent him the knowledge that the Kyuubi had dispelled it and was now charging. "Kushina! Restrain it!" He shouted hurriedly before moving to buy her time.

Minato barely noticed a strange aura burst up around his form, he did notice however the massive energy boost and his signature, blue swirling rasengan instead coming up as a swirling ball of orange colored chakra. Minato felt a smirk spread across face as he realised he had finally unlocked _it_. Hanzo had been teasing him relentlessly, now he would have to eat his words.

Feeling renewed, the Yondaime held out his other hand, another auburn rasengan swirled to life with surprising ease. With his dual rasengan technique, Minato began to bat back the tails of the Kyuubi. Even at one point slamming one into one of the beast's tails, making it roar in pain before swatting him through several trees with startling speed.

Quickly recovering, Minato wondered what was taking so long. As if it had been some mental command, glowing golden chains exploded from the ground and quickly wrapped around every part of the Kyuubi, restraining it instantly as the demonic chakra was suppressed.

Minato smiled in relief however when he turned, he saw that Kushina was barely managing to keep upright even with her hands slammed against the ground. He was instantly at her side. "Kushina!" he cried as he reached her.

The woman frowned in concentration, "Whatever you're about to do, do it now. I don't have long left…" She trailed off as she stared into her husbands confused eyes, she laughed lightly as she saw him opening and closing his mouth in attempt to speak. It was remarkably cute, it wasn't often she managed faze him after all, however this was understandably extreme.

Yet Minato still didn't move, instead he latched his hands around Kushina's and tried to pry her hands from the ground yet to no avail. "Then stop! I can do this without help." He pleaded, seeing her not move Minato felt a strange coldness clutch his heart as his wife's eyes began to leak tears. "Please stop… Kushina why?"

She merely looked off to the side; it was a while before she looked up and spoke. "You know for a fact I should have died long ago, getting a biju extracted from you is…" She trailed off as the words clicked in Minato's brain, making him shake his head defiantly. "Look after Naruto, Minato… Please, hurry I cannot-" As if reinforcing her words, her skin began to smoke from holding up such a strong seal in her state.

Minato felt his throat go dry and his spine tingle, as if somewhere. The Shinigami was laughing at his misfortune. Regardless, Minato stood albeit numbly and did the only thing that was left to him, he hoped Kushina would forgive him.

His hands were stiff as the chains snapped, one by one. Indicating the terrible truth of what was happening behind him. He stripped off his upper layer of clothes; a single magatama like dot rested in the center of his chest...

* * *

If there had been a moment for fear, this would have been the time for it. However, Hanzo's eyes were lifeless even as the ground in front of him split from some unknown force. An unholy, reddish glow emerged as the split widened, letting loose flames that seemingly tried to reach up and claw at him. Even the demon wolf backed away, realizing that it was hell-fire, yet the Hattori lord simply stood there, evenly letting loose a disdainful snort at the flames.

As the crack in the ground branched off and the hole became wide enough to jump through, a clawed, fiendish gauntlet reached out and gripped the earth; there was a rumble, as if the earth itself was in agony under the hands touch. Another hand reached up, this time without the claw, yet there was no skin, merely muscle, sinew and tissue was all that was visible.

As if a monster was clawing itself up from hell itself a figure clad completely in the strange, hellish black armor pulled itself up through the crack and rose to its full height. The man or what had the shape of one at least, stood a head taller than Hanzo who was relatively six feet tall in length.

The armor clad man was large, and heavily muscled if the shape of the armor meant anything, yet he was lean enough to indicate that he was fast. Hanzo, despite his cold apathy to everything was still surprised as he saw the design of the armor, the fact that the set seemed to have no hinges, joints or any sign of it being able to detach from the 'man's' body triggered a spark of a memory.

The giant, demonic staff that the figure pulled off from its back sealed the deal.

"Hattori Ma Chao… So you will be the one to drag me down into the pits of hell." Despite the words themselves, it was not a question, it was a statement.

The figure looked at Hanzo, or seemed to as its face was covered fully by the demonic, horned helm.

**"Yes."**

It was one word, but both man and tailed beast inwardly flinched. The 'man's' voice was the darkest and most terror inducing thing they had ever heard. Despite this, Hanzo strangely did not feel unnerved in the slightest; it was like the fiend had no ill intent towards them. It should have been understandable, this was his direct ancestor, but hundreds of years of nothingness create holes that can never be filled.

The hellish man seemingly ignored the massive demon behind him as he planted the butt of his staff into the ground. **"You called upon Dekishi-shin, state your wish and surrender your soul to hell." **The man spoke as if what he was saying meant nothing.

Hanzo directed his gaze at the giant wolf behind the demonic man. "Kill it; seal it, whatever you must do. Make sure it can never harm the village again."

The armor clad man turned to the wolf and stared into the emerald eyes for a second before walking towards it with strong, purposeful strides. He stopped shy a meter of it. **"I cannot kill this one, nevertheless your wish will be granted. Go now." **The figure raised a hand and instantly, cold, dead hands exploded from the ground and began to drag Hanzo down into the earth. However what Hanzo heard made rekindled life enter his eyes and rage consume his body as he struggled against the impossibly strong clutches of hell.

The demon stared straight ahead, staring yet not seeing, pleading with something that neither Hanzo nor the Junibi could hear. But they could hear _him_ perfectly.

**"He is a newborn, a child and my kin. I cannot do such a thing." **Within an instant the man clutched his head in agony as his other hand rose and from a void that opened before him. He plunged a clawed gauntlet in, and when he pulled it out. Little Reiji, still wrapped in blankets was within his metal fingers.

The man took his hand away from his head and groaned lowly as the massive wolf suddenly sunk into the earth up to its head. **"Very well, it will be as you command."**

The man turned to the flailing Hattori lord just as Hanzo was about to be dragged into the nether reaches, and shook his head slowly. **"Forgive me. Dekishi-shin believes a demon trapped within a demon is much too amusing to pass up."**

Hanzo's screams of rage and protest was lost in the earth as he finally sunk into the ground.

The ancient Hattori turned his gaze towards the giant beast before placing his hand on its snout, instantly his body flared with rancid power that was not his, he resisted the urge to scream as Dekishi-shin's power flooded through him, using his body as a conduit to vacuum out the soul of Biju into the Hattori newborn.

The process seemed to have taken a millennia, but he knew it must have only been a minute or so. As the ground began to rumble and he felt something grasp around his ankle and begin to pull him down, Ma Chao looked at the last of his line in curiosity.

"**It seems another has called upon Dekishi-shin, how curious."**

When the ancient demon gazed upon the golden orbs glaring defiantly back up at him, his eyes widened and his heart stopped in shock.

**"Your eyes-" **The demon Hattori grimaced as his body was forcefully pulled down further.

Placing the child gently on the ground, he sent out a chakra spike large enough to alert every sensory type in Hi no Kuni before he was fully yanked beneath the earth.

* * *

There was no force in this world that could have stopped Kyra at this moment; his godson was missing, gone the instant he had turned away.

He currently pounded through Konoha in a desperate fury, his head snapped to certain direction however when he felt a massive shift of powerful chakra resonate from where Hanzo had fought the cursed biju, latching onto the hope that it could be a lead. Kyra took off with speed even other Naitosutōkā captains would be hard pressed to follow.

Within seconds he found himself at the edge of a massive crater, as if someone had let loose a bomb or excavated something huge.

But the bundle of white in the centre of the crater was what had made his heart lurch into his throat, caution thrown to the wind, Kyra leapt off the edge of the crater. He winced as he landed heavily, but sprinted towards the child anyway.

Once sure that the bundle was secured firmly in his arms, Kyra let loose a flurry of jokyu shunshin's. Not stopping until he was firmly in the heart of Konoha.

It was only when he was on top of the hospital did he look over the small child, it was to his shock he saw a single magatama like bead in the centre of the child's chest, and below that a strange sealing matrix flourished out from the left side of the child's hip and stretched over to the right side of his belly like a strand of fire.

As his mind pieced together what had happened, Kyra felt like throwing up.

When the Sandaime appeared with a blonde haired child in his arms, Kyra almost fell to his knees. His keen eyes discerned the single magatama like dot on the blonde newborn's chest, as well as another sealing matrix on his stomach, yet in a spiral pattern.

There was no more sign of the Kyuubi or the cursed biju; if the powerful energy radiating from the two clan heirs had anything to do with it then it was obvious they had been sealed away.

Kyra looked down at the young, newly made Jinchuuriki in his hands, the golden eyes rose up to meet his and the skies opened; Kyra's tears were lost in the rain, along with the thousands that had survived the day.

Fate had taken many of Konoha's finest, and the Shinigami would have rejoiced in joy. But at least the skies sympathized with them.

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not, never have and never will have any claim to Naruto and the characters in them unless I win the lottery or something for Thirty billion. Otherwise….

*Ahem* Some of the OC's on the other hand are mine, and should you for some reason wish to use them please contact me beforehand. I will most likely say yes, albeit in slight confusion as to why anyone would even _want _to use them.

* * *

AN: Right so first off, I have decided to use Iron Monkey Fist's structure in assessing power level, the areas of assessment should be quite understandable besides chakra. When I mark someone based on their chakra, I am talking about their reserves and how large it is, not how potent it is or something ridiculous. The ratings are as follows, with all the points totalled up, the individual will either align with one of the levels I am about to introduce, again, this is IMF's structure not mine.

(Order corresponds with whatever number goes to the right of the attribute. i.e Ninjutsu: - number Taijutsu: - number etc.)

Overall Skill Index:

0-10: academy students, rōnin and most non-shinobi fodder. They are weak individually, but may pose a threat in the dozens. e.g. Bandit (Ninjutsu: 0 Taijutsu: 1 Bukijutsu: 1.5 Genjutsu: 0 Intelligence: 1 Strength: 1 Speed: 1 Stamina: 1 Chakra: 0.5 Chakra Control: 0.5 Total: 7.5 )

10-15: genin with average skill sets will be in this category. e.g. Yamanaka Ino (Ninjutsu: 1 Taijutsu: 1.5 Bukijutsu: 1 Genjutsu: 1.5 Intelligence: 1 Strength: 1 Speed: 1 Stamina: 1 Chakra: 1.5 Chakra Control: 2 Total: 12.5 )

15-20: talented genin with a lot of potential, usually with some mission experience. e.g. Rock Lee (Ninjutsu: 0 Taijutsu: 3 Bukijutsu: 2 Genjutsu: 0 Intelligence: 2 Strength: 2.5 Speed: 3 Stamina: 2.5 Chakra: 1 Chakra Control: 2 Total: 18)

20-25: chūnin who are well-versed in most of basic shinobi combat. e.g. Umino Iruka (Ninjutsu: 2.5 Taijutsu: 2.5 Bukijutsu: 2.5 Genjutsu: 1.5 Intelligence: 3 Strength: 2 Speed: 3 Stamina: 3 Chakra: 2 Chakra Control: 2.5 Total: 22)

25-30: elite chūnin and tokubetsu jōnin will fit in this category. e.g. Hayate Gekko (Ninjutsu: 3 Taijutsu: 3 Bukijutsu: 3 Genjutsu: 2.5 Intelligence: 3 Strength: 3 Speed: 3 Stamina: 3 Chakra: 3 Chakra Control: 2.5 Total: 29)

30-35: jōnin and some ANBU fit will be at this score; they are well-versed in combat, experienced and knowledgeable. e.g. Akimichi Chōza (Ninjutsu: 3.5 Taijutsu: 5 Bukijutsu: 4 Genjutsu: 2.5 Intelligence: 2.5 Strength: 4 Speed: 2 Stamina: 3.5 Chakra: 4 Chakra Control: 3.5 Total: 34.5)

35-40: elite jōnin (ANBU) and Kage-level shinobi, e.g. Kakashi (Ninjutsu: 5 Taijutsu: 4 Bukijutsu: 3.5 Genjutsu: 3 Intelligence: 4 Strength: 3.5 Speed: 3.5 Stamina: 3 Chakra: 3.5 Chakra Control: 4.5 Total: 37.5)

40-45: Kage level, e.g. Jiraiya ( Ninjutsu: 5 Taijutsu: 4.5 Bukijutsu: 3 Genjutsu: 3.5 Intelligence: 4.5 Strength: 4.5 Speed: 4 Stamina: 5 Chakra: 5 Chakra Control: 4 Total: 43)

45-50: Run, e.g. Namikaze Minato (Ninjutsu: 5 Taijutsu: 5 Bukijutsu: 4.5 Genjutsu: 4.5 Intelligence: 5 Strength: 4.5 Speed: 5 Stamina: 4 Chakra: 4 Chakra Control: 4.5 Total: 46)

Now, do not think that all shinobi's skill relies strictly to the structure presented! This is basically shit written on paper. And no one should trust anything that tells you what you can and cannot do on paper; Cannon Naruto has proved that time and time again, points on a test mean nothing. It's about what you do with those points and how you use them! I am just giving you a power scale to relate too, when somebody is In a fight and you want to know, how strong was that guy really? I will list it down and you can compare it to his opponent.

For example when Hanzo battled against Rokkun:

Hanzo: Ninjutsu: 5 Taijutsu: 5 Bukijutsu: 5 Genjutsu: 2 Intelligence: 4.5 Strength: 5 Speed: 5 Stamina: 4.5 Chakra: 5 Chakra Control: 4.5 Total: 45.5

Rokkun: Ninjutsu: 3 Taijutsu: 3 Bukijutsu: 4.5 Genjutsu: 3.5 Intelligence: 4 Strength: 4 Speed: 4 Stamina: 4 Chakra: 3.5 Chakra Control: 4 Total: 37.5

Statistically, Hanzo should have dominated that fight, and he did. But Rokkun had an outside influence affecting him mentally, he might not have performed to his abilities, but in the same light, he might have performed even more admirably than usual under the circumstance, do not doubt a shinobi based on his/her reputation. Should be rule 2# in the ninja hand book. 1# is don't fuck with Koala's, those things are fucking reincarnations of the devil, they should all be strangled with a bunch of rubber bands tied together, and then flicked repeatedly after they're all dead with said rubber bands.

Insert break-

_'Thoughts'_

_**'Demon Thoughts'**_

**"Demon Talking"**

"Talking"

**Jutsu being used. e,g: "Pooton: Poo mucher no jutsu"**

* * *

Translations (_I used Google translate for the Japanese so don't tear my head off please_):

Ishigakure no Sato – Village hidden in Stones.

Shiryokugakure no Sato – Village hidden in plain sight.

Naitosutōkā – Night Stalker, After Minato Namikaze the Yondaime Hokage at the time ordered the destruction of the infamous Ne (Root) foundation, Hanzo Hattori was convinced by Jiraiya of the Densetsu no Sannin take in his spy network and establish them as an intelligence network for a group set apart from the ANBU and other divisions of the Konoha military force. The idea stipulated from Jiraiya stating that while insubordinate and rebellious, Root was a major factor for Konoha, doing tasks that benefit Konoha greatly while keeping their official reputation clean.

Should a member of the Naito get captured or found out, Konoha was to cut all ties with the officer immediately and brand the member as a missing nin. A heavy burden and fortunately Hanzo was adamant in making sure that each member was strong enough to make sure that never happened.

The 'suspected' commander of Root, Danzo Shimura had mysteriously reclaimed his seat on the shinobi council at the same time Root was destroyed. After the heads of all military divisions were informed of the new division branded the Naitosutōkā, Danzo insisted that giving near unlimited power to unchecked shinobi would be disastrous. While he was fortunately proven wrong, the shinobi council were wary that every Naitosutōkā officer was absolutely devoted to their commander. It was a cause for unrest as Root had almost been exactly the same.

Each officer is specially chosen for their attributes and or other reasons. They are the silent spectres that looms over not just Konoha, but a majority of Hi no Kuni and the other nations. Due to their lord commander, Hattori Hanzo, equipment and things needing resources is of no trouble and their training is covered by Hanzo and his lieutenants themselves. They are not known even to the ANBU or the village council. The individual people who know about this division are: Yondaime Hokage, Hanzo Hattori, Jiraiya of the Sannin, Shimura Danzo, Nara Shikaku (Intelligence division), Morino Ibiki (Torture and Interrogation division), and Cicada (ANBU Commander).

The group consists of fifteen members. There's a keyword in there by the way.

Supīdirisu - Super squirrel or something of the sort

Surīpingu no Raiku – Sleeping Raiku.

Cursed biju - Cursed tailed-beast, okay. If Minato's explanation still left you confused I will clear it up here… Hopefully.

The cursed one, is a survivor of a Kyuubi no Yoko attack tens of thousands of years ago in what was essentially pre-era Konoha. While taking refuge in what we know as the Hokage monument, he found the chamber to where the Sage's chakra and the Jubi's **leftover** youki was being restrained and unwittingly absorbed it all. His body not being able to cope with the immense amounts of conflicting energy, transformed into a larger, stronger version so he could contain it.

Where was he up till now? Why had he never made an appearance before? That's his business, (Waiting for the Kyuubi to appear again).

Why does he have twelveseven tails you ask? Think about it, if tails are essentially measuring sticks of power. Then absorbing the soul and energy of the Rikkudou Sennin would already be worthy for a Biju, maybe only a tail or two. Absorbing the rest of the Jubi's chakra as well as the sage's power?… Fucking hell… If I wouldn't get my ass burnt off for it, I'd go for even more tails.

Kyuubi – Nine tails, I don't think I need to explain this one…

Akuma – Demon. Seven demon clans, not very many demons left.

* * *

Jutsu Translations and descriptions:

\- Ninpō: Kawarimi no Hiraishin (Ninja Art: Flying Thunder god's body replacement, close to mid range, A-ranked ninjutsu/tactic. A combination of ninjutsu and strategy given a name. The Yondaime makes use of a Hiraishin kunai that he throws either to stick into or fly behind the target. If it stick, the Yondaime will teleport to the kunai and deliver a point blank attack. If it flies behind then the Yondaime will teleport to it and attack the enemy from behind.)

\- Kinji raremashi-kuchiyose no Jutsu: Akuma no gisei (Forbidden Summoning: A Demon's Sacrifice, ? range, ? ranked kinjutsu/summoning. A cross between fuuinjutsu and summoning, the user, who is typically an Akuma clan member, will sell their souls to Dekishi-shin in order to ask of one thing in return. Rarely has this technique ever been used. The only holders of this technique belongs to Akuma clan members, who are rumored to be created by Dekishi-shin, the ruler of the underworld.)

\- jokyu shunshin (Advanced body flicker, ? range, B/A-ranked ninjutsu. should a shinobi be skilled enough in chakra control, mental and physical body restraint. Then the jokyu shunshin can be performed. It is simply a much more potent version of the shunshin, allowing greater movement speed, greater range and is almost instantaneous in its effect)

\- Ninpo: Kami Nanbu no uzu (Ninja Art: Divine Southern Vortex, mid to long range, S-ranked ninjutsu. After completing twenty hand signs to mould the correct amount of chakra. The user twirls his/her weapon at a blinding speed while feeding wind, and lightning chakra into the weapon. At the peak of speed, the user expels the chakra all at once; the rotation of the object shapes the chakra into a powerful vortex or twister that is projected towards the opponent.)

\- Rasengan (Spiralling sphere, point-blank range, A-ranked ninjutsu. A technique invented by the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, which he created by observing the Tailed Beast Ball. Minato spent three years developing the Rasengan; his plan was to take the shape transformation of one's chakra to the "highest possible point" and then combine it with his chakra's nature affinity, creating a technique that did not need the aid of time-consuming hand seals to control. Although he died before he could accomplish the latter feat, on shape transformation alone, the Rasengan is still a powerful, versatile, and difficult technique to learn and master.)

\- Doton: Doryuuheki (Earth Release: Earth style wall, defensive, B-ranked ninjutsu. The user creates a solid wall of earth as a form of defence. Chakra is either converted to earth within the body and then spat out to form the wall or the user can manipulate pre-existing earth to form the wall. The earth then instantly rises up and takes form. The barrier itself is also coated with chakra, making its strength incomparable to that of a normal mud wall. Because of the earth's special characteristics, the wall is highly resistant against, for instance, fire and water. Also, for a Kage-class shinobi it is possible to create a vast volume of earth. When used by Kakashi, he creates a wall composed of bulldog sculptures)

* * *

Let me know if I had missed any jutsu and or messed up with grammar/spelling, punctuation, plot-holes or things that simply don't make sense.

I is part human. I mistakes make a lot.

~Wreaxz


	3. Sunrise, I

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. Even if I forget to say it in a future chapter. Know that I still probably won't own Naruto. Unless I win the lottery, than I'll have a twenty percent chance of hiring FFN writers to fix the shit Kishimoto messed up. **CHAPTER HAS BEEN SLIGHTLY REDONE, NOT COMPLETELY.**

* * *

Somewhere outside the western gate...

'_THWACK!'_

A young boy sat in the traditional half lotus position on a flat rock in the middle of a lake, a man no older than thirty was circling him slowly, a thin cane resting in his hand as he studied the boy with keen eyes. He was looking for something, any sign of movement. But the boy did not feel like indulging him, he was as still as stone. His eyes and ears were shut off from the world as he locked himself into his mind. But not his sense of touch, that was still very much intact.

In an effort to stir some type of response, the man moved to the edge of the rock and dipped the end of his cane into the lake. He withdrew it and in the same motion flicked the excess water that rose with it into the child's face.

As the water splashed onto the child's face, his eye twitched. And for a second the boy's heart stopped, '_Maybe he didn't see it.' _He reasoned, after all it was the tiniest of movements, his body's reaction to the sudden contact.

A second went by, then another, and another and with fleeting confidence the boy almost forgot to nip off his sigh of relief, it seemed that the cane wielder had not-

'_THWACK!'_

"Ouch! Damn it that's not fai-" The child began as he made to stand in indignation before he was pelted yet again, however this time in back of his knee, making him stumble and fall down.

"Nothings fair in the life of a shinobi." The man stated calmly, although there was a mischievous glint in his eye.

The child glared at him as he regained his feet slowly, after the expected cane attack did not come, he relaxed slightly and moved over to the edge of the lake all the while mumbling obscenities to himself, reaching the edge, he bent over to dip his head into the cool waters. And in doing so, presented his rear up into the air.

'_THWACK!'_

"And that was for swearing." The man stated sagely.

With the a screech of pain the boy was sent face-first into the river, the man merely stared at where the boy had been before his shoulders began to shake slowly, and then like a rolling storm his silent chuckles erupted into a full blown laughter.

The child breached the surface of the water like a whale, releasing a spray of water as he clawed himself up and charged at the man, tackling him to the ground.

...Well, he would have had he not bounced off like he had just run into a brick wall.

The child groaned softly as he picked himself up off the floor, he really did feel like he had just ran headfirst into a brick wall, "Feh, you're such a cheater Kyra-sensei."

The man stifled his lingering snickers and settled a curious gaze on the boy, "Come now Reiji, forgive me but that was a chance I couldn't pass up on." he tried to explain with reason; though his twitching lips might have nulled the professional air he had tried to project.

The boy Reiji glared at his sensei silently, his golden eyes bored into Kyra's black ones. After a full minute the man relented with a sigh.

"Alright then pup, if I teach you a new jutsu will that change your mind?" Kyra offered, hiding a knowing smile.

Instantly Reiji's eye twitched again, he was a sucker for new techniques. It took all his pride to resist as long as he did, but eventually his curiosity won out. "Maybe." He ground out quietly.

Kyra beamed widely at his godson, "That's the spirit! Though…" He paused mischievously, "You're going to have to find me first." With that he disappeared by means of shunshin.

Reiji growled in annoyance, he would have loved to chase down his infuriating sensei. Though Kyra had insisted in him learning not to rely on his chakra, and thus sealed his tenketsu by means of what he called 'training artefacts'. At first Reiji had been confused at why he would ever need to not use his chakra, but as soon as Kyra had mentioned that this was the way his father had been taught as well as the rest of the Hattori clan, he gave in immediately.

There were small leather bands that Kyra had tied around both his wrists and both his ankles. They were simple and could be passed off as the monks of the Fire temple's pilgrimage gift; said gift was typically one of three things. The simple leather bands that Reiji wore now, an earring with a magatama bead hanging from it, or a set of prayer beads.

However, he now was slightly regretting it. Kyra had given the child a glimpse of his position before turning heel and sprinting off faster than Reiji's eyes could have followed, he was on the other side of the water. It would mean that he had to swim across the mile long lake just to reach where Kyra had been and then hunt him down using physical tracks. And his sensei was notorious for back-tracking and jumping wide gaps to throw him off.

With an almighty groan, Reiji dived into the cool water of the lake. It took him longer to swim across of course since he was unable to receive the benefits of his chakra, but he managed it well. There was however a moment of terror as a rather large fish swam through his legs; at least what he thought was a fish.

Hauling himself up onto the bank, Reiji took a second to gain his breath back. He had extraordinary stamina for a child his age; he could run a horse into the dirt with ease and then compete in a marathon. Although he hadn't realised that it was thanks to the chakra flowing through his coils, cooling off his body and hydrating his muscles with its energy. It was lucky that he had made good use of building his stamina up while he still had access to his chakra, if not he might not have made it across that lake.

Shaking his head thoroughly to clear off the excess water, Reiji kneeled to observe the distress in the dirt. He frowned in genuine confusion as he found nothing, Kyra wouldn't be as cruel to completely mask his tracks, because if that were the case he would never had found him outside of randomly stumbling across the elusive ninja.

Reiji looked up uncertainly, old caretaker Haru had always said, '_If you run out of ideas, look for something to inspire one.'_

"No reason it shouldn't work here" The Hattori mumbled quietly to himself as he scanned the surrounding earth, '_Never keep focused on one spot, and don't move your head while looking, movement attracts attention. Use only your eyes.'_ Kyra's advice this time.

His hunch proved correct.

Amidst the perfect scenery of untouched greenery, a tuft of grass was bent close to the top, giving the impression that something very light had trodden upon it. Reiji moved over to it and examined the direction it was snapped in, the grass pointed north-east.

Nodding in satisfaction, he began to move in the direction cautiously, trying to pick his steps before moving forward, Kyra always left traps for him and it was only his fault if he blundered into them. No sooner than he found the next lead, a scuff against the bottom of the tree, did Reiji catch a glint of sunlight on something ahead.

He began to move forward again slowly, careful not to keep his eyes focused on one sole thing as he proceeded to move towards whatever had reflected the suns light. It was razor wire, tied between two trees. Reiji forced down the nervous tension that had begun to build up. Even at the slow rate he had been moving at, that razor wire would have gently sliced open his neck with a horrifyingly graceful softness.

Although the thought was slightly worrying, he was glad that he had found it. Carefully ducking under it, he moved forward once again until he felt resistance against his shin. He felt his skin prickle as he realised what he had just done. It was a feint, the first trap was supposed to be seen. And the second was supposed to catch you off guard just as you defused or navigated the first one.

With a small curse, Reiji threw himself forward in an effort to avoid the barrage of kunai that impaled his previous position, but he hadn't gotten off scott-free. Before long he noticed the warmth of blood trailing down his back. He took it as a sign that he was getting sloppy, shrugging disconcertedly he moved on once again.

* * *

Kyra frowned as his eyes scanned the flowing kanji in the scroll he was reading; he had been minding his own, waiting for his student to reach him on the windy peak of one of the spire like cliffs of Kowareta gake no meiro when a small brown toad had approached him, cutting his meditation short as he turned his attention towards it, as he did so, a single brow rose in surprise. It had been one of Jiraiya's messenger toads.

He now rolled the scroll back up and placed it inside the folds of his monk robe, he had grown quite fond of the monks ever since he had spent a year within their residence, and thus he had adopted their free flowing robes with gusto, although he kept his shinobi bottoms and sandals, he was still a ninja after all. He closed his eyes as he thought over the message he had received. "Jiraiya needs me huh? I wonder what for." He mumbled softly to himself.

Kyra was so distracted by his thoughts; he didn't even notice Reiji claw himself up and over the edge.

"Who's Jiraiya?" The child asked as he stood up and dusted himself off.

Kyra barely managed not to jump in surprise; he turned slowly as he took in his apprentice. '_You're strong__; you should be fine by yourself for a while.'_

He didn't voice his thoughts however, instead he levelled a grin at Reiji who couldn't help but smile back. "An idiotic old lecher that carries more respect in the elemental nations then all of the minor villages combined. No one you should worry about." Kyra stated, he gazed at Reiji in amusement. "You're late."

Reiji knew a knock off when he saw one, but he didn't pry, instead he shrugged and sat across from his mentor. "You didn't specify a time."

Kyra nodded in acceptance dully before perking back up, "Fair enough... right then!" as he said the last two words he jumped up and clapped his hands in a business-like fashion. Reiji followed suit, albeit with more of a quiet enthusiasm.

"You will be learning to control your chakra, so get those bands off." Kyra ordered.

Reiji clicked his tongue impatiently, "I already know how to control my chakra, I can almost do metal straightening now."

Kyra rose a finger and waggled it admonishingly, "Nuh uh, this is learning to control your elemental chakra. You will learn to balance a leaf on your finger by coating it with wind chakra. If my hunch is right, then you should have a kicker of a wind affinity."

Reiji's eyes lit up, "That's…Pretty cool." he said.

Kyra nodded suppressing a chuckle. "Let's get started then pup." he said, he began to stare at Reiji expectantly.

Reiji backed off a pace from Kyra's incessant gaze, normally when he did something like this, the man would then proceed to initiate a surprise 'sparring session'.

"What are you looking at me like that for?" Reiji finally asked after being sufficiently creeped out.

Kyra leaned back and ceased his staring, "Well, how do I expect to teach you how to control your elemental chakra when I don't have the primary tool to teach with!" he explained as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Reiji sweat-dropped lightly, "You want me to go get a leaf?" he asked just to be sure.

Kyra nodded ecstatically, "Not just one, you can bet you'll be losing more than a few to your failures."

The golden eyed boy turned on his heel and proceeded to haul himself back over the edge, all the while muttering obscenities, "I thought teachers were supposed to come prepared." Was one he uttered louder than the others.

Kyra laughed jovially, "Perception pup, is the key to being a shinobi!" he responded, he laughed again as Reiji began to mutter darkly to himself again. "And stop mumbling! It's beneath you."

Once he was sure Reiji was far down enough, Kyra turned back to the setting sun, his thoughtful frown back in place. _'What has gotten you so riled up Jiraiya?'_

* * *

In the forests outside Konoha…

A blond haired youth was making his way through strip of clearing that separated the trees on either side of him. He was whistling a jaunty tune as he seemed to stroll carelessly to wherever his feet took him; in fact he was making his way to his training area. The boy sported a thin, mesh shirt, brown shinobi pants and a hollow-tip kunai was dangling from his belt, attached by ninja wire.

Unbeknownst to him, another was casually following him among the trees. His face was covered by a porcelain dog mask. As the boy took a slower than usual pace his pursuant took the chance to reach into his back pouch and pull out a bento box, inside were three sweetened onigiri. Reaching up he moved aside his mask and bit into one of the rice balls, what he didn't expect however was for the boy to stop suddenly and begin to turn towards him.

* * *

Naruto turned as he heard the slightest of sounds behind him; it was like someone had poked a squid and made a squishy sound. He looked up to the trees where he thought the sound had come from however he could see nothing, shrugging, he turned back and made his way to his favourite training place.

His training ground turned out to be a small clearing by a river, it was a scenic place and the rushing water made a comforting gurgling sound as it made its way downhill. Naruto reached into the pouch on his back and took out a small scroll before laying it flat across the clean grass.

It was a depiction of kata's and stances, along with training exercises for the mind and chakra. Dusting himself off, the boy set to work, copying what he saw in the book.

* * *

Naruto's follower was confused, he had made the slightest of sounds and the boy had perfectly pin-pointed his position. Nevertheless, he stuffed the rice ball in his mouth and continued to pursue his quarry.

As the boy began to drill through the kata's on the scroll, the stalker leaned forward slightly in curiosity. '_That's an ANBU elite regulations stance, where would he learn such a thing?'_

In his distracted state, he forgot to close his mouth as he chewed. Making the child stiffen slightly in surprise, after a full minute the blonde haired youth finally stomped his feet in annoyance.

"Whoever is out there come out!" He shouted in annoyance.

The masked man pursed his lips slightly as he finished his last rice ball before settling his mask once again. '_Sandaime-sama didn't say not to make contact.'_

Coming to a decision, he appeared in front of the blonde haired Jinchuuriki in a leaf shunshin, scaring the wits out of him as he did so.

* * *

With Reiji...

Kyra was forced to back step hurriedly as a tree suddenly landed in front of him, a small tree but a tree nonetheless. Reiji hauled himself over the edge once more and stood, his annoyance not yet all gone.

"Okay" Kyra exclaimed as he plucked a leaf from one of the branches. He took a deep breath, steeled himself and then placed the leaf atop one of his fingers point down and held it up for Reiji to see. It was completely still, even against the powerful wind that gusted around at this altitude.

Reiji nodded as he tried to replicate, he took in what Kyra had said before. About coating it with chakra, so he did just that. He was slightly confused when he realised no chakra was responding to him before he felt his cheeks begin to heat up. He still had his restriction bands on.

Kyra merely stared at him as the leaf blew away with the wind. "You're an idiot aren't you?" he asked in mock surprise.

Reiji just shrugged, "I got used to these things." he stated as he undid the delicate knots that held in place the leather bands.

Kyra merely snickered as he eyed his student undo the bands. "You might want to take it easy, ya know." he advised.

But already embarrassed and seeking to redeem himself by succeeding on his first try, Reiji did not heed his warning. Unfortunately for him, he had large chakra reserves, like an endless ocean at his dispersal. It was akin to completely removing a dam that halted the ocean from a mile wide, dry river bed.

Agony, it was sheer and unadulterated pain that coursed through Reiji as the last of the bands came off.

He fell the floor gnashing his teeth together in an effort not to scream out loud, he felt like someone was shoving their fingers down each of his veins, stretching them to bursting point.

"Gah! What the fuck sensei?" Reiji grunted out loudly only to receive a solid smack on the head for his trouble.

"No cursing!" Kyra exclaimed heatedly before kneeling to prod the boy experimentally, of course Reiji responded like an angry bear. Swatting at man as he continued his incessant poking, finally having enough of it Kyra grabbed both of Reiji's hands in one of his and resumed his poking. "Stop that baka, I'm checking if any of your tenketsu are blown." he explained.

Reiji ceased his movements as he fought down his anger, even though Kyra's poking hurt like hell, "You aren't a Hyuuga, so how do you know where my tenketsu are?" Reiji asked quizzically.

Kyra turned an approving eye on his student before answering, "Everyone's tenketsu is the same except for yours since you have thirty more than the average human male, as well as your coils, they are the strangest things I've ever seen, both of which is almost unheard of. It took a Hyuuga nearly a week of staring at you to map down where they are for me" The monk-like jōnin explained. Finally finished with his examination, he hauled his student to his feet and shoved him towards the tree Reiji had brought up.

Reiji muttered darkly once again before a stone pelted him the back of his head, ceasing his muttering. As he reached to take a leaf, what Kyra had said finally hit him.

"You had a Hyuuga map down my tenketsu? When? And why are my tenketsu and coils so important, Saru-jiji never talked about them." Reiji asked.

Kyra palmed his forehead in exasperation, "One at a time gaki, one at a time." he said admonishingly, and Reiji had the grace to blush. Sitting down in the half-lotus position, Kyra took a second before answering.

"Yes, a Hyuuga did eye-rape your body while you were meditating. I asked him too. Why you ask?" Kyra grinned as he answered his own question, "Because the training I'm going to put you through in a year will blow open your tenketsu so often it might because medical problems, the Hattori were notorious for their insane training regime. It's on par with the Sarutobi and Hayabusa clan's training."

Reiji suppressed the urge to swallow lest Kyra notice and ridicule him, instead he picked a leaf from the tree and held the tip over his finger and began to force chakra into it, instantly the leaf went limp in his hands, turning into the consistency of wet tissue paper.

Reiji turned towards his instructor, his eyes asking a question.

Kyra snorted amusedly and gestured for him to sit down; he waited until Reiji did so before speaking. "When I said you had to channel wind chakra to coat the leaf, I meant use wind chakra, and coat it _around _the leaf. I didn't tell you to force feed it with enough chakra to empty out a chūnin." the monk-like jōnin stated, his face lightened slightly as he held up another leaf.

"Regardless, you're not meant to do the leaf balancing act yet. It is in fact the last stage of your training" Kyra said, expecting an outburst at any moment however he levelled another appreciative gaze at his student as the boy blinked for slightly too long, letting Kyra know he was putting his meditation training to good use.

"So, am I starting with the first stage or what?" He asked calmly.

Kyra nodded and held the leaf in his hand before placing his other hand over it, obscuring the leaf from view. When he removed the hand covering the leaf, Reiji was intrigued to see that the leaf was split perfectly in the middle.

"Whoa." Reiji said simply.

Kyra chuckled mirthfully before gesturing towards the pile of leaves he had somehow picked without Reiji seeing him do it. "Like always, we will use this to test your mind. Try to figure out how to do it first, and once you have your theory I will help you"

The golden eyed child nodded solemnly as he picked up a leaf and palmed it, like his mentor had. He closed his eyes and concentrated, forcing his chakra to circulate in his hand and cut the leaf in two. He felt something within his palm, with bubbling excitement he lifted his hand to his surprise he saw the leaf in two, though it looked like a two year old had wrenched it apart like an animal.

Kyra was slightly surprised as he looked at the two pieces of mangled greenery; he pursed his lips in thought before staring at Reiji dully. "That's not the results of wind chakra, you monkey fisted that thing apart with your raw chakra didn't you?" He asked, his tone almost accusatory.

Reiji shrugged, "I tried to split it, so that's what I tried to force my chakra to do." he replied.

Kyra blinked slowly, "Did you say you forced your chakra to do that?" at Reiji's confused nod Kyra chuckled, "I guess that's what I get for only focusing on Taijutsu and disciplining. You know your chakra is really potent? That's strange." Kyra explained. '_I know exactly why your chakra is so focused; it has to be lest it gets dominated by IT. _He mused to himself languidly.

Before Reiji could speak Kyra cut him off, "Either way, try to imagine your chakra acting like a blade, picture in you mind the leaf splitting a hundred times before trying to project that outwards. Use whatever thought you want, as long as it demonstrates precision and sharpness."

Reiji nodded as his mind instantly turned to that of an arrow, sleek and long, slicing through the wind as it soared through the sky. He channelled the feeling into his chakra, and then channelled his chakra to split the leaf. Raising his hand, Reiji saw that the top sixth of the leaf was split, raggedly so.

Kyra hid his astonishment, instead just nodded appreciatively. "That's a strong affinity for wind you got there, pup, truly, I expected nothing." He stated honestly. He raied his hands when Reiji's upper lip began to twitch wolfishly. "Don't get me wrong, but these are jonin level type of training, the only reason I even deigned to learn them is because I knew you would have a wind affinity. Even after my years of training with the element, I still can't do it efficiently."

Reiji nodded his understanding as he stared at his leaf as it fluttered away with the wind, it triggered the spark of a memory and he was suddenly overcome with a wave of grief and anger.

_(Flashback)_

_Reiji suppressed his rage as he stared over a valley, normally it would have captivated him, the beauty of the land would have stolen his attention. But now, he couldn't care less, his eyes were unseeing._

_In his hand he idly fiddled with a pair of chopsticks, his other hand was firmly clasped around another's, the other person's grip felt weak, but it did not falter. He and another old man were currently seated on a porch that overlooked the valley._

"_Make sure you bathe regularly, eat well, and by well I don't mean just coffee and smoked beef!" An elderly voice admonished. "Reiji, are you even listening to me boy?" The elderly voice asked again, his tone accusing._

_Reiji nodded as he smiled sadly, "Yes sensei." his voice barely above a whisper._

_The hand gripping his squeezed hard for a second before relaxing, "I tried my child, and I did everything I could to make it so I could watch you grow into a man I would have been so proud of." The man said sadly._

_Reiji nodded again and squeezed back to let the elder know, "I understand." The golden eyed boy whispered._

_The man squeezed again, though it was weaker than before. But the elder spoke anyway, "But I don't have to." He said, chuckling softly._

_Reiji didn't answer, he merely grit his teeth in an effort to take the strange pain away from his chest._

"_Because I am already so proud of you I don't think this old soul can bare it." He laughed this time, an actual, rumbling laugh._

_Reiji tried to smile; he tried to feel elated from his sensei's words. But he couldn't feel anything besides an unholy anger; it sapped at his soul and made him strangely... Tired? There was always a first for everything._

_The man squeezed again, but the pressure was so weak Reiji almost didn't notice. "Look at me." The elder asked softly._

_Reiji didn't move._

"_Reiji, please. Look at me." He asked again._

_Finally, Reiji turned. His face remarkably calm though under the surface was a boiling ocean ready to spill out. The old man smiled as he gazed into Reiji's golden orbs._

_He laughed again as he leaned back and closed his eyes, "I'll never forget those eyes… child. Those eyes that belong to the boy I love- more than anything… I ever thought possible." He said softly, although every word was laboured sounded thick. His last words were barely more than a whisper._

_It was after a while did Reiji finally squeeze his sensei's hand. Only to receive no response._

_He squeezed again, but nothing happened. Still Reiji looked ahead over the valley._

"_Sensei." He tried quietly, maybe he hadn't heard him?_

"_Jiji." he said clearly, still no response. He fought the urge to break the chopsticks in his hand; he would never forgive himself if he had._

"_Jiji please." He nearly whispered again, he heard footsteps hurriedly approaching from behind. It was Kyra._

_He turned his head. The old man was slumped back against his chair, a peaceful smile on his face as he gazed at Reiji with unseeing eyes._

_Then he remembered feeling a raw hatred and anger so intense his mind began to throb, his muscles began to pulse as his skin began to burn. He stood abruptly, teeth grit and eyes bloodshot before Kyra stepped in front of him with a glowing slip of paper. Then he saw nothing but darkness._

_(End flashback)_

Reiji didn't notice Kyra rise and begin to leave until a stone pelted him square between the eyes.

"Oh, sorry sensei I got distracted." Reiji apologised as he turned his attention towards Kyra.

Kyra stared at him for a second before smiling warmly, "Don't dwell on the past, pup. It's not healthy." He said before dropping off the spire.

Reiji stared at the spot Kyra had been for a while before taking up another leaf. He wasn't surprised that Kyra knew where his thoughts were, the man could read him like an open book.

* * *

With Naruto...

Naruto took a second calm himself as he studied the figure that had suddenly appeared in front of him in a burst of smoke. He was ANBU, that much was certain if the gear and tattoo was anything to go by. He hadn't seen this particular ANBU before, the individual sported a dog mask and near silver, gravity defying hair shot out from the top of the mask.

"I didn't think you'd actually come out." Naruto commented dryly.

The ANBU looked at him for a moment before placing his hands on his hips and leaning forwards. "Well, why not?" He continued when he realised that an answer wasn't forthcoming. "That scroll is something that should not be in possession of a child. You could be committing a crime." He said, though Naruto could hear the mirth in his tone.

"I'm not committing a crime" Naruto stated icily before frowning, "Why would this be suspicious?" he then asked, genuinely confused.

The ANBU shrugged and pointed to it, "That's some high level stuff, kid. How'd you get it?" The dog masked ANBU quizzed.

Naruto turned to look at it for a second before answering, "It was given to me Inu-san." Naruto responded, he knew first hand not to slight people wearing ANBU gear, they could kick his ass to the Konoha monument and back.

The dog masked man hummed thoughtfully for a second before walking over to the scroll, he noticed how the blonde tensed suddenly as he approached it. He knew what it was and who gave it to Naruto, each operative has his registration number printed on each of their pieces of gear. Curiously, he noticed that the techniques explained in the scroll were actually vastly different than the standard regulation ANBU drills. They were personalised, and more refined.

The basic ANBU style revolved around a combination of the Hyuuga's Jūken and Maito Guy's Gōken style. To be able to subdue when necessary (Jūken), and to be able to cripple or eliminate when in serious situations (Gōken).

"Maybe I should spend a visit to a certain weasel masked ANBU, hmm?" the man questioned, waiting for a response.

Instantly Naruto stepped forward, his eyes alight with worry and slight anger. "No!" He shouted at the man.

The dog masked ANBU turned and cocked his head slightly to the side, "No?" he asked.

Naruto took a second to process his thought before speaking again. "I meant that there is no need for that." Naruto looked down for a second before speaking. "I stole it; I didn't mean to get anyone in trouble."

The dog masked nin nodded thoughtfully before suddenly disappearing, only to reappear behind the boy with his hand gently resting on his shoulder. "Well, I know for a sure fact that's a lie since it says there, 'Make sure not try anything until you learn the above first, Naruto'." The dog masked shinobi could almost feel the mental ass-kicking the blonde was giving to himself. "Your name is Naruto I presume?" At the boy's defeated nod, the ANBU laughed quietly.

"Well for starters, make sure you listen to what it says. Weasel-san does not mess around. And make sure you don't overextend on this one." The man stated as he let go of Naruto and pointed to a specific kata. "You'll more than likely hyper-extend your knee." He explained.

Naruto stared at him slack jawed for a second before gesturing helplessly towards the man. "Inu-san, I thought you were going to arrest me?" he managed.

The man simply looked at him before laughing happily, "It's not up to us to condemn when others in our ranks helps out a kid." At the boy's puzzled look, the man sighed. "I meant I was just messing around with you, Naruto."

Before the boy could work it out, the silver haired ANBU raised a hand in farewell before disappearing in a swirl of leaves.

He began to laugh as Naruto simply stared at the spot where he had been, right up until he almost fell out of tree in shock when he felt a light tap on his shoulder. Turning around, he saw a weasel mask staring back at him.

"Are you pleased with yourself, Kakashi?" Weasel asked.

Kakashi shrugged, "I didn't think it would be that fun, you're teaching him some advanced stuff there Itachi. If I didn't know better, I'd say it was your style." The silver haired man said accusingly.

Itachi merely looked at Naruto as the child gave up on looking for the jōnin and resumed his training.

"I will take over from here." He stated firmly.

Kakashi though didn't move, instead he poked the weasel masked ANBU none too gently, "I think I finally found someone who has revived your shrivelled little heart." the dog masked ANBU joked.

What he didn't expect however was for a minuscule amount of killing intent to seep from Itachi as the weasel mask turned its glare on him. "I will take over from here." Itachi said again in the same tone.

Kakashi merely stared at him for a second before shrugging and disappearing in a swirl of leaves.

Itachi settled down after acknowledging that Kakashi had indeed left, he turned back to the blonde haired youth working on the Taijutsu he had given him.

'_Naruto Uzumaki. I am leaving now, though we will meet again one day. I assure you.'_

* * *

Kowareta gake no meiro  
(2:00 am)

Kyra had to suppress a laugh as made his way to the spire-like cliff he had left Reiji at; on the way he had seen at least three trees completely devoid of their leaves. Shaking his head in admiration of Reiji's dedication to his training, he began to walk up the spire.

As he reached the top he almost forgot to stick to the ground with chakra as his shock settled in. The entire top of the spire was covered in partially split leaves.

He waited in anticipation of what Reiji was about to do, the boy was sitting in the half lotus position overlooking the hundreds of spires that gave Kowareta gake no meiro its name. Reiji had his hands held up shoulder height, in both of his palms rested a rock the size of a small plum.

The boy breathed in, and as he breathed out a slash appeared across the faces of both rocks. Both were equally jagged and dug in a good millimetre or so, Reiji opened his eyes and began to study the rocks, turning them this way and that to see a way of improving.

_'This kid is unreal.'_

Shaking off his shock, Kyra grunted, loudly.

Reiji jumped to his feet in surprise, turning in mid air as he did so before landing in a crouch. Only to straighten up as he saw his sensei giving him an amused look.

"Do you mind? I was concentrating." Reiji said snappily as his eyes began to droop and he plopped back down onto the rocky floor.

Kyra chuckled as he dragged the boy to his feet, "You're up past your bedtime, you've earned yourself some physical conditioning tomorrow." Kyra admonished.

Reiji groaned as he rubbed his eyes sleepily, "Since when do I have a bedtime?"

Kyra shrugged, "Since thirty seconds ago." He chirped happily.

Reiji scoffed as he leaned against his mentor. "Take me home sensei, I can't be bothered." The boy managed to say in between yawns.

Normally, Kyra would have thrown Reiji off the edge of the cliff, spouting some nonsense about 'Enemy shinobi could disguising themselves' in an effort to get a rise from the boy. But seeing as Reiji was already on the brink of sleep, he gave in with a sigh. He still hadn't told Reiji he was leaving yet, _'I guess I can play godfather instead of sensei for a bit. I won't see you for a long while after all.'_

His mind set, Kyra bent down and hoisted his godson up before moving to hop down off the spire, the instant he did, Reiji was already asleep. As he gazed upon the boy's face he bit back a rueful laugh, he looked so innocent and peaceful, nothing like the golden eyed warrior that he normally was. He forgot that Reiji was still just a child, the Hattori lord of course, but still not old enough to even hit puberty. Kyra knew that he himself had been nothing more than a sniffling, useless piece of dead weight at Reiji's age.

He frowned as he once more as his mind went back to when he saw Reiji honing his finesse by slashing up rocks to figure out what he was doing wrong. Sure the child had spent nearly the entire day and night to accomplish it, but it was an ingenious idea. He looked down at the source of his wonder as his mind roamed. "I'm seriously going to have to give you some wind jutsu to work on. And you really need to enrol into the academy... And I need someone to watch you when I'm gone… Kami Reiji, you're a pain in the ass." Kyra exclaimed loudly as he nudged open the door of the Hattori lake house.

He was glad Hanzo had invested in a secondary home; to go back to the manor would have been a constant source of heart ache.

Gently placing the boy on his bed, Kyra turned on his heel and swiftly exited the building. _'Time to wake up the officers.'_

* * *

The next day…

Kyra fingered his kunai pouch idly as he stalked through a beaten path through Konoha's dense forest. To be honest it was much too late in him coming here, he should have visited long ago. But dealing with being an active Konoha jōnin and full time mentor to the heir of the Hattori clan took pretty much all of his time.

Abruptly, the battered path through the forest he had been taking ended and In front of him rested a small, modest house. It was well-built and had an air of homeliness to it. To find the man he was looking for, you either searched in one of three places. The ANBU commander's office, the Hokage monument, or here. He had already searched both the office and the monument.

He quickly jumped up the steps to the porch and shuffled up to the door, he waited hesitantly for a second, wondering if his request was too much to ask. He needed someone to watch over Reiji while he was gone, and he couldn't think of anybody besides three people, two of which were much too busy to even think about asking them. The third, the person he was visiting in fact, was only slightly less so.

Before he could debate even further however, he was forced out of his musings by a gruff voice.

"Are you going to come in or are you going to gawk at my door some more?" The voice said. Kyra grinned lightly as he turned the handle on the door and pushed it open, stepping inside before closing it swiftly.

Inside was a comfortable looking kitchen and living room, off to the side was a small hallway that had a room for one and a personal bathroom. The place was quite bare, although it had a warm atmosphere. However what, or specifically, who caught his attention was the man currently leaning against the kitchen counter.

He was a tall, well-built figure clad in the ANBU garb, he looked to be in his late thirties. He wore the usual ANBU gear, though it was black in colour, he wore a long sleeved black sweater under his armour and on his breastplate a droplet within a droplet was inked over his heart.

He had a shock of near orangey-yellow hair that was pulled back in a small ponytail, a single bang came down to his chin. It was a stern face, one that had seen the horrors of the world, yet there was still a comfortable warmth that glinted out of his eyes.

"Kyra-nii. It is good to see you." He said in collected voice.

Kyra merely grinned and extended his arm, which the ANBU gripped readily, "I see you're doing quite well for yourself, Kajima." Kyra gestured to the tidy, well-kept home.

Kajima shrugged a shoulder as he turned to the tea he had brewing and took it off the heat and filled up two cups before passing one to Kyra. "I like it, no infernal desks, and peace no matter what goes on in the village."

Kyra nodded in understanding as he sipped at the tea appreciatively, they both enjoyed the others comfortable silence for a while before Kyra finally grunted in recollection.

"I came here to ask a favour of you." Kyra said abruptly.

Kajima showed a rare smile as he sipped his tea, "Am I pulling your ass out of the fire again then?" he quipped.

Kyra snorted derisively, "That was one time! Damn you nii-chan…" Kyra fumed for a couple of seconds, much to the other man's amusement before he finally reigned himself in. His tone took a serious edge, prompting the other to pay attention. "And to answer your question, no. Jiraiya of the Sannin has sent for aid. He requested me specifically, I need to leave before this week ends and I won't be back for a couple of years at best."

Kajima frowned, "Jiraiya-sama asked of you specifically? And what about the commander's child? You were to be his jōnin sensei." The grizzled ANBU quizzed.

Kyra nodded in agreement, "I am actually quite annoyed, but Jiraiya-sama wouldn't call on me if it wasn't important. He's a quirky one, but he's not stupid." Kyra explained.

Kajima could only nod in agreement; to call Jiraiya stupid would be a cause for a trip to local mental institution. The man was the most renowned of the Sannin; you don't earn that title by being stupid.

He looked up in suspicion as he began to piece together why Kyra was here to see _him. _"That's all well and good, but I fail to see how I may be of any use. Unless you would like me to go in your stead?" he asked.

However Kyra was already shaking his head before he had even finished. "No, no. I'll go, I _have _to go. But I need you to become a jōnin again. And apply to lead a genin team." The monk-like jōnin stated.

Kajima chuckled as he looked at his fellow officer. "Have you been clocked on the head recently?" At Kyra's shake of the head he snorted. "Do I look like a people person to you? I'm not fit to train genin."

Kyra raised a brow in response, "Why not?"

Kajima shook his head adamantly, "Like I'd be caught dead in that green bloody monstrosity they call a shinobi 'flak jacket'. Regardless, I have an entire ANBU division to run." He said forcefully.

Kyra blinked before sighing, "You don't have to wear the damn vest, and Rooster or Crane is more than enough to run ANBU. You're the only one I trust with Reiji, well you and Sandaime-sama of course."

It was then Kyra knew he had hit the soft spot, Kajima had took it solely upon himself for the reason of Hanzo's demise, he convinced himself that had he been there Hanzo wouldn't have been overwhelmed by the Junibi. If he had hurried his task, then his commander would still have been alive. Kajima held an almost blinding faith in Hanzo, ever since Hanzo had taken him, a Taki ANBU that had been cast aside and left to die. His loyalty had been absolute. To even utter his commander's son's name would see to it that one would have his rapt attention.

"Now that you've guilt tripped me, I guess I can't really refuse now can I?" the man said softly. At Kyra's steady gaze, Kajima finally sighed in resignation. "Fine, fine. I'll take the team damn it."

Kyra let loose an almighty breath he didn't realise he had been holding, just as the door to the house was bullied open. Making Kyra draw his kunai and the ANBU commander to unsheathe his dadao before they realised their intruder was a Konoha ANBU.

Kajima growled threateningly as he stalked towards his subordinate. "What is the bloody-"

He was cut off however when the ANBU noticed him and shouted in relief. "Sagi-sama!" He cried, using the commander's code name. "Uchiha Itachi has slaughtered his entire clan save for one boy! The village is in disarray!" The man nearly shouted.

Kajima and Kyra respectively stared at the young ANBU before they both disappeared in a swirl of leaves.

They reappeared by the Uchiha district and soon enough spotted their Hokage looking over the proceedings. Kyra began to approach when he caught sight of a shadow flit across the trees that peeked out from over the clan compound's walls.

Taking off in a burst of speed, Kyra bounded over the wall and pounded through the forest, he caught sight of the earlier figure ahead of him, two bodies slung over the figure's shoulders. Desperately trying to out distance him, but it would be all for naught. Along with the two bodies hampering the person down, coupled with all the speed Kyra could muster, it was undeniable that the person would be caught. So instead the figure stopped on a branch and roughly threw down the bodies to turn and face Kyra.

The stranger however seemed to misjudged Kyra's speed as he found himself caught from a solid clothesline to the throat. Crushing his larynx and slamming the back of his head harshly into the branch they were standing on, either knocking him out or killing him outright.

Kyra cursed as he slowed to stop a couple of branches ahead, he had been running full pelt, not expecting for the person to stop and try to defend themselves so he had no choice other than to attack with the momentum he had or pass right by who he identified as a pale haired man.

Turning, he made his way to where the three bodies were and as his gaze fell upon the pale haired man his mouth began to curl in distaste once he saw the body begin to incinerate itself, the heat coming from a multitude of seals lining the man's body. "Root. So with the death of Hanzo and the Naitosutōkā you rise again like vermin." Kyra spat out angrily. Of course, he received no answer.

He looked at the two people the root member had been escaping with, dead Uchiha. Interestingly, their eyes had been plucked out. Hoisting all three onto his shoulder roughly, he began to make his way back. _'What in the name of the Shodai is going on?'_

* * *

Two days later…  
(6:00 am)

Reiji frowned as he stared at Kyra over his mug of coffee, the man had just come in looking dishevelled and suddenly blurted out that he had to leave for a couple of years. Not the kindest way of wording things, but Kyra was as blunt as a log, it was to be expected.

"So." Reiji said softly as his eyes locked onto Kyra's, "Where are you off to?"

Kyra took a second to chew his toast before answering. "I'm heading to Kusa no kuni to meet up with Jiraiya of the Densetsu no Sannin. He said he had something that begged my assistance." Kyra had no reservation about telling his pupil what he was doing. The boy would never utter a word of what he said to anyone, Reiji had his trust fully.

The golden eyed boy nodded slowly as he refilled his mug with even more coffee, getting Kyra to raise a brow. "That's your fourth cup." He stated plainly, at Reiji's uncaring shrug the man merely snorted. "Your addiction with that particular beverage is unsettling, pup." Kyra laughed lightly as he saw Reiji reaching for the honey pot. "I'd even bet if you were placed with the choice of saving my life or choosing a cup of coffee you'd go with the coffee!" He joked.

Though it was lost on Reiji as the boy merely mumbled something and shifted around uncomfortably, making Kyra stop chewing and level a glare on his student. "You would save me right?"

…

"Reiji?"

…..

"Oi!" Kyra stood and began to lean over the table only to get sucker punched in the mouth before Reiji busted through the window shouting 'Surprise spar!' over his shoulder.

Kyra merely stood there, his lip slightly throbbing before he roared in anger and threw his plate at the wall. He pounded over to the back door and kicked it open with such force it flew off its hinges, though Reiji once again took advantage of him as he had been waiting to the side of the door. The boy pivoted in front of his sensei and nailed him right in the shin with a rather large stick before sprinting away to the training field.

"Ow! You fucking brat! Get over here!" Kyra roared at his rebellious apprentice.

That gave Reiji some cause to concern. Kyra never swore like that, ever.

Kyra's wrath was evident as he felt the force of the battering ram slam into his back, sending him skidding across the earth like a pebble before crashing into a tree. He regained his feet to see Kyra with his leg still outstretched from his Sparta-style kick.

Spitting out the dirt that had accumulated in his mouth, Reiji rolled his shoulders experimentally as he lumbered up to his opponent. To be honest, cheap-shotting Kyra like that was fair game; Kyra would have done the exact same thing. He never missed the morning spar, only this time. Reiji was the one to start it.

Kyra had decided to humour him slightly and didn't immediately crush him into the ground, instead he waited. His face cold and apathetic as he watched his apprentice with a disdainful look in his eye.

Reiji shed his shirt and took up his stance, he turned slightly side on, leaned forward so his shoulders were a little past his feet and he raised one hand in front of his chin in a lax fist, while the other crossed over his abdomen clenched into a tight ball.

He was proud to call it his own unique style; he couldn't really call it professional since it wasn't taught to him. But he felt like that didn't really matter, it felt natural and besides, it was based off a combination of Kyra's and his father's style. Not that he had known at the time.

Kyra had dubbed the style 'Karatsume', reminiscent of a Jackdaw in every way, free flowing and loose yet abrupt and surprisingly difficult to predict. It utilised not just speed but a good deal of power as well.

Normally to complement speed, Taijutsu combatants would utilise softer strikes to pick apart an opponent from weak points or simply overload them with blinding attacks. It was the opposite however for strength based fighters, who utilised punishing blows, though they were forced to give up speed in doing so.

Reiji had found a way not just to fuse the two, but to milk them for all their worth. The main idea behind the fighting style was momentum. Kyra had actually found himself being hit once or twice when he had actually let the boy begin to start chaining moves together; at first his moves were jerky and uncoordinated. But as Kyra gently watered the budding flower so to speak, Reiji began to make combo's and chains of attacks integrate seamlessly, yet make it so seemingly spontaneous that it threw off even experienced fighters like Kyra himself.

Reiji had enough of waiting; instead he took two quick steps forward where he suddenly let loose a flurry of jabs from his left arm only, his attacks beginning to blur together from the sheer speed of it.

Kyra casually bat each jab away with the back and palm of his hand as if it was child's play. As Reiji swung his shoulder back to launch a heavy right hook aimed at his chin, Kyra seized the opening and stepped into the child's space and brutally punched Reiji's bicep, sending the offending appendage recoiling back with the force of an arrow shot from a bow.

However Reiji was not perturbed as he capitalised on the momentum, swinging his body with his recoiling arm the boy launched a solid spinning kick that Kyra easily leaned out of the way of, though Reiji kept coming.

Once again in his stance, the golden eyed child began to unleash a furious haze of combo's akin to how a boxer would. Though much quicker and looser, allowing the boy to lean and duck under counter-attacks. He didn't let up the assault until Kyra suddenly grabbed his wrist instead of blocking or redirecting the attack like usual and swung his apprentice around before driving a knee into the child's face and releasing his grip, sending him flying back to roll along the dirt.

Again Reiji bounced to his feet as if nothing had happened and came at him in earnest, trying to find a gap in his sensei's impeccable defence as he lashed out with fists, elbows and knees.

Occasionally, Kyra went on the offensive. With Reiji actually managing to hold out for a few seconds by either dodging or pushing away Kyra's hands and feet, he knew he had no chance of blocking, Kyra would smash through his defence then cave through his body if he tried that.

So instead he focused on redirecting attacks, pushing a straight jab off to the side slightly before countering, though Kyra was simply too quick and too skilled for even the slightest glimmer of hitting him.

The battle lasted nigh two hours, where Kyra finally called a stop as Reiji picked himself up off the ground. His entire front battered and bruised, but thankfully Kyra had been lenient and refrained from breaking bones this time.

His mentor nodded, breathing the slightest of bit heavier than when he had started. "Your style is getting good; it's your size right now that's holding you back. You need a bit more height before it becomes truly dangerous." He stated.

Reiji simply nodded as he spat out a couple of teeth, he didn't trust himself to speak. Kyra had left his face looking like an overgrown plum. Though he would be perfectly fine after a couple of hours, '_Like always.' _He thought grimly to himself.

* * *

Board room within Hokage tower…

Sarutobi Hiruzen was generally a kind man. He was known as the Kami no Shinobi, not just because he was a terror in his prime, but also because he was merciful and benevolent, evident through his long and ultimately successful reign as Hokage.

However, for the first time in a decade, he felt himself to begin to lose his temper. He sat in the midst of a babbling council consisting of glorified merchants and pompous civilians who believed themselves above others, screaming their lungs out at each other, sending murderous glares towards the ANBU who stood like stone sentries at points in the dark corners of the room.

Finally, one merchant who grew the gall stood up suddenly, his jowls jiggling as he moved. He pointed at the nearest ANBU threateningly. "It's their fault! They are supposed to watch over Konoha! Right under their noses did Uchiha Itachi slaughter our most prestigious clan!" He screeched.

The ANBU didn't reply, instead the man merely dipped his head in respect, further angering the fat merchant. As if like a dam that had been breached, the entire civilian council stood up in indignation as they shouted their assent.

The clan heads meanwhile turned pitying looks at their poor Hokage, even Hyuuga Hiashi, and his face normally looking like a painting had some mirth in his eyes as he waited for the Hokage's reaction. He was not disappointed.

"If you all do not cease your incessant yapping. I will have you all drawn and quartered publicly."

Instantly all noise fell silent as the untrained folk began to clutch at their throats as a murderous killing intent flooded the air. Even the shinobi in the room began to sweat as the elderly Hokage rose from his seat.

"This is a shinobi village, you have no place insulting my ninja. For too long have I put up with your infernal hides wasting good air that could be put to better use than keeping you alive." The Sandaime's voice was quiet, but it was no less threatening. "Get out."

The council needed no further prodding; they all rose and instantly scrambled for the door lest they risk the ire of the Hokage once again. Once they were good and gone, the Sandaime let loose a sigh as he sunk back into his seat. His old team-mates, now his advisors, Homura and Koharu both looked at him warily.

"That wasn't very wise Hiruzen, they control a good deal of economic trade and without them Konoha would be forced to find new people to deal with." Homura said levelly.

Before the Hokage could respond, a man sitting on the shinobi side of council with a scar on his face and spiky, pineapple-like hair spoke up. "That would be quite alright in all aspects. We recently received an envoy from Jokashu industries. They wish for Hi no Kuni to instead deal with them instead of the local industries." He said plainly, as if not caring what happened either way.

Koharu looked at him sharply, "Shikaku, that company hasn't a very reputable past, would you place your trust in them to deal with Hi no Kuni fairly?" She questioned.

Shikaku merely shrugged, "They wish to deal with only Hi no Kuni as the Yondaime was the only one to trust their new CEO with the reigns to the company. The Daimyo is very pleased with Konoha at the moment." He said in a bored fashion.

Homura shared a look with Koharu and they nodded, "We approve." They said in unison, prompting the entire shinobi council to break out in amused chuckles, the stone cold visage of Hiashi broke for a second as he scoffed.

A blonde haired man wearing the standard jōnin attire smiled pleasantly at the duo of advisors. "It doesn't matter if you approve or not, it's not your decision to make."

The Hokage let loose another sigh as he moved towards the window overlooking his village, he could practically picture his 'advisors' begin to rise in anger, "Sit down you two, he is right. Stop trying to convince us that you are on the same boat as that blasted council." The Sandaime announced darkly, in stark contrast to his normal attitude.

Homura glared at the blonde haired man before receding into his seat. "Very well Hokage-sama."

The Sandaime let out another sigh as he turned back to his shinobi council and his two advisors. '_I seriously am getting too old for this.'_

"The Uchiha incident, while dismaying isn't that much of a setback. The Uchiha were rarely partaking in missions anymore, choosing instead to resign. They haven't been contributing to Konoha for the past three months and we have barely felt the effects of it." The Sandaime stated matter-of-factly.

Shikaku nodded his assent, behind him a figure emerged into the light, he sported a black version of the ANBU kit and cheater mask hid his face. The red hued dadao strapped to his back clinked softly with his every step thanks to the nine rings running up the back of the blade.

The Sandaime nodded to the man as the ANBU commander moved around the table to bow to him, "Sagi-kun, you have something to say?" the old Kage asked.

The cheater masked ANBU nodded in affirmation before speaking. "We received word from Ibiki of the Torture and Interrogation corps, the offending root agents that we had managed to capture after Kyra-sama had alerted us of them, had swallowed cyanide pills disguised as teeth as soon as they came to." The ANBU stated firmly.

Hiruzen let out a noise akin to a growl, "Very well. I assume the remaining Uchiha is being treated?" he asked.

The cheater masked ANBU shook his head uncertainly. "It would be wiser to ask someone qualified in taking care of people Hokage-sama. I can only take care of people in a way I'm sure you did not intend." Sagi said in a monotonous voice, although his words made the grizzled Kage smirk somewhat.

"Of course." Hiruzen said as his smirk grew into an amused smile, "Although I hear you want to 'pass on' your ways of taking care of people?" his tone questioning as he stared at his head ANBU.

The man nodded immediately, "I am not sure how you found out, though yes. I wish to become a jōnin sensei." Sagi said calmly, much to the shinobi council's surprise.

The blonde haired man frowned slightly as he looked at the stoic ANBU, "Why on earth would_ you _want to do that?" he asked not unkindly, merely curious as to why an ANBU commander would resign just to take a group of genin.

The ANBU didn't look at him to answer, "My reasons are my own." He said simply, not intending to offend.

The Sandaime took in the predicted response with a laugh, "Sagi-kun, you might want to work on people skills if you're going to work with teenagers." The Hokage put in, though he re-evaluated his statement as a thought hit him. "I guess I can no longer call you Sagi-kun now huh, Kajima-kun?"

Kajima shrugged as he removed his mask and placed it on the table, "I understand this leaves you without an ANBU commander now. I apologise Hokage-sama." Kajima said sincerely.

The old Kage merely waved him off, "There are two that have been vying for the position for a good two years now. It will be amusing to see if either of them can handle the job." Hiruzen said knowingly.

A smirk split Kajima's stone face as he thought about the two who were fighting furiously to overthrow him.

Hiruzen turned back to the window once more, "Nevertheless, I will not see Konoha affected by losing the Uchiha, I will host a meeting tomorrow at noon with all of the jōnin in attendance, we will see who is able to work double-time."

Hiruzen watched Shikaku suddenly sit up straight in panic and begin to move for the door. A pleasant smile crept over his face as he watched the lazy jōnin try to escape. "Shikaku-kun!"

Instantly the man stopped moving and stood at attention, beads of sweat broke out over his forehead as he looked at his Hokage's back. "Uh, yes Hokage-sama?"

Hiruzen turned, still smiling. "Have a pleasant night."

Shikaku let out a subtle sigh of relief as he nodded, "Of course, you too-"

"It will be one that you won't get in quite a while I'm sure, back-to-back mission kind of ruins a good sleep." The Sandaime said admonishingly as he disappeared in a plume of smoke.

Shikaku felt his eye begin to twitch as his team mates began to laugh uproariously, "Mah! How troublesome…"

* * *

With Reiji…

Kyra ruffled his student's hair affectionately as he shrugged his cloak over his shoulders; Reiji caught glimpses of an abundance of small scrolls lining the inside of the cloak. It was from here did reach in and pull out a particularly thick scroll and handed to Reiji.

Reiji rolled it over and suppressed a laugh at the title. '_If you don't have these down pat by the time I get back… This scroll will be visiting unsavoury places, pup…_

Kyra grinned at his reaction as Reiji identified scroll, "In there are little notes I made to improve your Taijutsu, as well as a couple of instruction for training and other odd bits and pieces." He said.

Reiji nodded and stowed it away safely through his belt loop, a frown came over his face as he looked at Kyra. "Am I just meant to be training while you're gone then?" he asked.

Kyra shook his head as he looked over to the direction Konoha was in, "You will be attending the academy-" He paused as he saw Reiji's face of annoyance and frowned. "No excuses! You will be required to attend at least a two years of the academy."

Reiji almost tripped over nothing as he looked up at Kyra, his eyes shooting a look of betrayal at him. Kyra hurriedly averted his gaze before turning to look down the road he would set out on, leaving his godson alone for god knows how long, Jiraiya had said at the _least _three years.

"By the way, treat the bunshin like you did the Kawarimi. Remember that." Before Reiji could voice his confusion, he spoke again. "Go into the village sometimes; get a feel for your home. I've kind of kept you alienated from the village by keeping you out here, training you into the ground."

Reiji scratched his head idly, "Uh sure."

Kyra turned a wary eye on him, "Are you sure you'll be fine on your own? I can send for servants to watch-" He was cut off as Reiji punched him playfully on the arm. "Hey! I'm worried you know!" Kyra exclaimed hotly.

Reiji laughed as he moved to stand next to him, "I am too, I might burn the bloody house down." He received a half-hearted smack on the head and an equally disheartened, 'Potty-mouth.' from Kyra.

Kyra sighed as he looked at his charge, "I'm going to miss you, pup." To save Reiji from answering he spoke up again quickly. "If you're bored, which you will be since I won't be here to run your ass ragged. Look for a blacksmith called Aian. If you've got any of your grandfather's blood in you from your mother's side. You'll have a new hobby soon enough." Kyra chuckled as Reiji gave him a confused look. He shook his head in sad amusement; if he lingered any longer he knew he probably wouldn't be able leave.

"Right then, I'm setting off. I'll be back, eat properly like Haru-jiji told you to and study well. If you're still stupid by the time I get back I'm banning coffee." Kyra said with a grin, his grin turned into a laugh as he heard Reiji sharp intake of breath.

"You wouldn't." He ground out lowly.

Kyra merely laughed again, though this one lacked any real mirth. "Goodbye pup." He said as he began to walk.

Reiji paused for a second as he watched Kyra's retreating form, he grinned as an idea hit him. "Just watch sensei. I'll kick your ass when you get back. Just you watch!" He was glad to hear Kyra's hearty laugh as he closed the door behind him.

Was it just him or did the house just get a little colder?

Shaking off the feeling roughly, he pulled out the scroll Kyra had given him and headed to the kitchen table. _'I can't wait to see what ridiculous shit he's written down.'_

He wasn't disappointed, as he opened the first foot of the scroll. Reiji almost spilled the mug of coffee he had picked up in distraught.

"Lava walking exercise!? Kami, what the fuck!"

* * *

AN: Right off the bat, I know this chapter was uneventful. The next will likely be the same since it's just setting up the story. I'll likely do a time skip to cut out the boring academy shit. Review and stuff if you're with the story so far.

* * *

Japanese translation: (Let me know if I missed anything/think I should explain what something means)

Kowareta gake no meiro – Broken cliff maze, it's the place where Kakashi went to train Sasuke In the anime, I couldn't find the name for the place so I made one up.

Sagi – Cheater (The animal), the mask Kajima, the first Naitosutōkā lieutenant, chose when he took up the mantle of ANBU commander.

Karatsume – Jackdaw's claw/talon, a style unique to Reiji Hattori. Very akin to a boxer, but also with elements of a monk's defensive style mixed in. Reiji was a traditional clockwork fighter, he preferred one shot K.O's by slogging them in points where he knew the enemy would go down. i.e. Throat, base of neck, temple, point of chin, crown of head etc. If this was not possible, then the other main focus of the Karatsume was momentum. By chaining together blows and creating 'combo's', the user becomes nigh unstoppable.

Kyra (Pronounced Kai-ra) was a flowing, free fighter. He was very much into the way of the monk's style. But he found that it was unpractical in his line of work, where monks believe you should not extinguish life, ninja's need it to be done on a daily basis. So he incorporated Sasoken_(Scorpion fist, a technique created by taijutsu Master Chen (From the anime) to challenge the toads of Mt. My__ō__boku. Compromised of creating cones of chakra just before the point of impact, much like a spike attached to wherever you're about to hit your opponent. The result is along with a powerful external punch, you get a spike of energy that rams through muscle and sinew.) _Into the monks fighting style, making it lethal and versatile.

The droplet within a droplet crest – When I mention this, think of the Assassins Creed symbol for the Assassins. It's the symbol I used for the Hattori clan's crest.

* * *

Jutsu translations:

N/A


	4. Sunrise, II

Chapter 2, Sunrise II  
(3 years later)

* * *

**AN: First off, I just want you guys to understand why people don't hate Reiji as much and why they treat him with more fear and respect, like Gaara. Reiji's father is a known legend of a terrifying clan, those golden eyes of his are an unmistakable trademark of the Hattori. I'm not doing it just to make my OC seem cooler than Naruto, that's petty and ridiculous.**

**With Naruto, he was brought through the ****_middle _****of Konoha with a glowing great seal on his stomach practically radiating demonic aura. People with any knowledge whatsoever about Jinchuuriki would instantly be able to piece together the clues and recognise a new vessel. All in all, same exact situation as canon Naruto besides the fact that the Sandaime, an age old Kage with dozens of years under his belt as reigning champ, knew better than to exclaim that the demon who had killed so many was now sealed into random kid. Right ****_after _****said demon's attack. **

**Rant, over.**

**NOTE: This is a re-upload, I tweaked some things to fit with the changes I had made in the earlier chapters, all chapters are now up to date. Sorry for the wait.**

* * *

A certain golden eyed boy bit his lip in thought as he stared at a design sketched hastily on some parchment; he was currently leaning over a forging bench in a cobblestone room lit up only by the large, circular forge in the middle of the room. The sketch was about a ceremonial dress of plate armour to be made for a Shogun's horse. Reiji's blacksmith mentor, Aian had basically dropped it in his lap. Though, he just had no idea how to go about it.

To fit the armour correctly, he would have to study the horse for quite a while, taking measurements and the like. It was no good having a brilliant piece of protection if it didn't fit.

As he pondered over the design, a thick, heavy set man threw the door open to the forge room. As aforementioned he was big and heavily muscled, probably due to working with the unyielding hammer and metal all day. He had a wide, barrel like chest and comically tapered hips leading to bulky, bear-like legs.

The man slapped a heavy hand onto Reiji's shoulder and leaned over to look at what he was studying, humming in acknowledgement as he did so.

"So lad, what do ya make of it?" he asked, genuinely intrigued as to what Reiji had to say.

The boy shrugged in indifference, "Well it's a brilliant design." He smirked as he caught the big blacksmith's grin of pride in the corner of his eye. "I still don't know how you can even fit a pencil in those giant, gorilla mittens of yours though." Reiji began to laugh as he felt the man withdraw his hand from around his shoulder to stare at it.

"They're not that big ya disrespectful brat you." Aian grumbled.

Reiji laughed again and punched the man playfully, hiding his wince as his loosely clenched hand cracked against the other man's abundance of rock hard muscle. "Aian-sensei, you know I need more than measurements to do this right?" Reiji quizzed.

The big man merely chuckled in response, "Yer, I didn't want to set you on this project anyway; I was just tryin' to see if you had the brains to figure out what's wrong with it." He said knowingly.

Reiji snorted in amusement, "It's too goddamn heavy, the Shogun's fond of his food and drink, besides the fact that this entire thing is made of iron and brass. The poor horse would break its back." The golden eyed boy delivered expertly.

Aian let loose a booming laugh as a he nudged Reiji up the stairs, "So you do have some wits about ya after all boy!" he thundered as they walked out of the cellar where the main forge was into the actual shop. Lining the walls were racks and plaques with brilliantly crafted weapons adorning them and in the centre of the shop was a much smaller, cleaner looking forge, though in all his time being here Reiji had never seen it stocked with glowing hot coals.

"I still don't understand the logic behind that. It seems so…" Reiji chewed on his lip thoughtfully as he searched for the right term. "Stupid."

Aian frowned at him in curiosity, "What is? The Shogun owning a thick hide?" He asked.

Reiji snorted in amusement before shaking his head, "No, no… Well that's part of it. But why would the Daimyo allow some _guy _to ascend to the title of Shogun, and claim region that belongs to Hi no Kuni?" Reiji asked pointedly.

Aian pursed his lip as he formulated his thoughts into words. "Well, for one he did _let _some _random _guy become a shogun. He was given the rank by the previous Daimyo." Aian stated.

Reiji's brow rose slightly as he processed the information, it was odd to call oneself a Shogun without owning land that one had taken by force. It was generally unheard of to be granted Shogun-ship. Reiji wasn't even sure that was a word. Aian's next words brought him out of his reverie.

"Two. It's still Hi no Kuni territory, it is just under the rule of Shogun Hokishisha Jaikin, he pays tribute to the crown yearly."

Reiji nodded to signal his understanding, though he noticed that Aian had gone into full on 'lecture mode', the usual slang and cut words that Aian used were absent, a tell-tale sign of his seriousness.

Though Aian seemed to lighten up again, grinning at Reiji, "And you'd be surprised, the Shogun can even give one of our chūnin a quick death. And he's just a civvie. His father was the real warrior." Aian's grin turned even wider when Reiji's brow was almost lost in his shaggy black mane of hair.

"A skilled ninja outdone by something not a ninja?" Reiji asked sceptically.

Aian let loose a booming laugh as he picked up a clip point katana and tossed it to Reiji, who caught it by the handle and swung it up into an overhand grip.

"M'boy! Jaikin's old man could run through a team of jōnin! Actually, that's exactly what he did to earn his title. He obliterated a squad of Iwa and Kumo nin and lost his right arm while defending the previous Daimyo, out of loyalty and friendship."

Reiji pursed his lips as he mulled over what the bear-like blacksmith had said, '_To kill a squad of jōnin, when not even trained as a shinobi yourself is… Impressive, I guess.'_

Shrugging, the young blacksmith-in-training placed down the katana on a low rack nearby gently. As he stood, Reiji stretched out his back and looked around the shop appreciatively; eying some of Aian's masterful pieces of metal, he could still vividly remember the first time he had been here.

* * *

_Flashback_  
Two and a half years earlier…

Reiji frowned as he walked through the streets of Konoha; Kyra had told him he would be bored after a while. He was right. With Kyra not around to stomp a mudhole into his ass, he had no set schedule and he could work through the scroll he had at his leisure, the problem was that he feared running out of things to do.

Reiji had brushed up on what he could with the notes Kyra had left with him on his unique Taijutsu style, although he couldn't help more since the problem with a unique style, was just that no one knew a damn thing about it. And Kyra had forbidden him to practice any jutsu until he had the leaf balancing act and metal straightening down pat.

The leaf cutting technique had plugged up his successful advances neatly. For days and weeks on end, Reiji just couldn't, for the life of him, split the leaf perfectly. He had known what the problem was the entire time, however lacked the skills needed to fix it. Too much chakra.

Even the smallest amount he could draw on only succeeded in making a ragged cut, as if a toddler had sawed it apart with a plastic spoon. He found that the only solution was to wear the chakra restriction bands that Kyra had given him. And then slowly practice by taking one band off at a time until he could finally recreate the perfect cut Kyra had. After a countless amount of hours, he had finally managed to complete the exercise.

After this, he had moved onto the balancing technique. But it was here his success crashed and burned.

More often than not with the balancing training did he either end up turning the leaf into minceplant or end up with the leaf falling off, since the skin of wind chakra didn't fit _perfectly_ over the leaf.

Even worse was the metal straightening, Kyra had given him a bunch of coiled strips of iron. The idea was to uncoil one using only your chakra and then roll it back up. The problem was, as Kyra had stated a while ago, his chakra was quite potent. He ended up warping the metal and at some points he found that he snapped the iron coil completely, rendering it useless. Having enough chakra to fill an ocean didn't help in that regard, he needed small, precise measure of chakra to run it up the coil, forcing it to straighten out. Instead, akin to a dam full of toilet water or an overly large spigot attached to Kyra's head, the instant he opened it a teeniest bit, everything burst out like a fountain of bullshit.

In frustration of his inept chakra control, Reiji had stormed out of the lakeside manor and found himself weaving his way through the throngs of people in the merchant district at busiest time of day. People bustled to and fro, not sparing him a second glance as he moved subtly through the crowd, subconsciously moving with stealth as to avoid attention.

As he observed the shops lining either side of the streets, from tea shops to tailoring businesses, a section of the street up ahead piqued his interest. It was much less crowded than the street he had just walked through, and it seemed much more akin to something that would interest him.

Weapon shops, libraries and the odd restaurant or two were some of the examples of stores, though he could see hotels and hot springs and the like as well.

This section of shops seemed _very _well maintained, and on the sign of every shop, next to the store's name was a droplet within a droplet. Reiji frowned as he looked down at the breather shirt he was wearing that was normally used for training. On his left breast was the exact same symbol sewn in with silver thread. In confusion, Reiji approached one of the stores, as luck would have it. The sign over the clean, modest looking weapon store read 'Aian's forge.'

As he opened the door and stepped in, a bell sounded from above him, letting the owner know he had a customer. When he turned his attention to his surroundings, he was smacked with nothing short of awe; weapons were everywhere, ranging from everything from ninja wire to even a giant, steel great-hammer.

As he stood there slack-jawed, he almost missed a door across from the counter being flung open, admitting a hulking giant of a man looking to be in his late forties. He was easily over six-feet tall, he packed more muscle than Reiji had ever seen on a single being, not even a bull came close to the man's sheer mass.

As the man caught sight of him, he let out a startled shout and rushed over to him. Reiji's training failed to kick in fast enough before he found himself enveloped in a bone-rending, bearhug of doom.

"Oh Kami! The little lord in my shop? Such a beautiful day!" The man cried as he swung Reiji around like a ragdoll.

Reiji's eyes began to pop out of his head as his face began to resemble a ripe tomato. "Pu- meh… dow.." He managed to wheeze out in desperation.

The man frowned as he loosed his grip and held Reiji at arm's length by his shoulders, making the boy hover about a meter over the ground. "Ay?" he asked simply.

Reiji however was much more interested in filling his lungs with precious air as he gulped like a beached fish. Finally regaining himself, he wriggled out of the man's grasp with as much dignity as he could muster. "What in Kami's name invoked you to do that? Do you not realise you ARE A GODDAMN GIANT!?" Reiji shouted as he felt for cracked ribs.

The man merely grinned at him as he slung an arm around the boy. "Oh you flatterer." The brute of a man boomed heartily, "Kyra-san had said you would be paying me a visit soon, little Reiji-chan!" The man boomed.

Reiji looked up in curiosity, disregarding the man's assumed familiarity, he hated titles, and for some reason he found himself warming up to the giant. "You're Aian then?" he asked, still a hint annoyed at the boisterous man for manhandling him.

The blacksmith simply laughed boomingly, "Yer not mistaken, little lord." He replied before whipping a giant, black hammer out of nowhere and taking up a pose, "It is I! Ushi no Aian!"

Reiji scoffed in amusement, '_Ironic.'_

The man wasn't to be let down however as he hoisted Reiji up by his collar and placed him besides the traditional forge. He suddenly began to explain the basics about what temperature most metals are to be taken out at and how the forging process works before Reiji waved his hands dramatically in front of him, pausing Aian's endless tirade.

"Wait, wait, wait. Why are you telling me all of this?" He asked in confusion.

Aian turned a shrewd eye to look at him, "The only reason you'd be ere', is if you're bored. And if you're bored, that means you can become my apprentice blacksmith!" He ended happily.

Reiji frowned as his mind whirled to life, while it was sudden and slightly overbearing, Kyra wouldn't have mentioned this place for no reason, and he couldn't simply outright deny the fact that he was in fact a _teeny-tiny_ bit interested.

His mind made up, Reiji looked up at the man. "I guess I'm going to have to call you Aian-sensei then?" He asked with smile.

Aian merely blinked before letting out a booming laugh, amplified from his barrel-like chest. "Hah! I'm a master of my craft little lord! You should be calling me Aian-sama-sensei!" He roared.

Reiji began to laugh in earnest at the giant man's antiques, before something Aian had said repeatedly over their interaction made him frown in though. "Why do you call me 'little lord'?" Reiji asked.

The giant blacksmith looked at him as if he had lost his mind for a second before a look of understanding dawned across his face. "I guess Kyra would have flogged ya till you couldn't walk with that blasphemy he calls training, ay? No time for the politics." At Reiji's blank look, Aian chuckled. "Well kiddo, you're pretty much royalty because of your clan. Though every member of your family has been nipped in the bud besides you, your father and mother were pretty much famous." Aian explained.

Reiji felt a bit miffed at how Aian had so casually said every member of his family was dead, but he found that he liked the man too much as to be angry. However what Aian had said made him widen his eyes slightly, he knew his parents had played a big role in Konoha, as Kyra had told him, but he didn't expect fame_. _

Aian looked at him with an approving eye; he had half expected an angry retort for his brutal description of Reiji's clan. Kyra had personally asked him to work out Reiji's kinks, his anger in fact, since he was a little… Cheerful, to say the least.

The boy had the problem of bottling up his anger, letting it deteriorate in his mind. Kyra had told him nothing could have been the cause, no irregular brain activity, no suppressed memories, not even just a general snarky attitude. The only reason could have been because of the boy's burden.

And by the gods, he won't let the tailed fiend addle the mind of Hanzo's son. Not if he had a say in it.

"Say Reiji-chan, how about you go visit the other stores. Besides, you own them all, you should go say 'hi' to them." Aian said in a surprisingly quiet voice.

Reiji looked at him shock. "I own them?" He asked sceptically.

Aian laughed gently, "Why else would your symbol be pasted on every sign." Aian turned a serious gaze on Reiji as he spoke his next words. "Your clan picked us up off our feet and gave us a chance, all of us." Aian said as he gestured to the other shops. "You'll be in for a right welcome when them folk see your eyes, kiddo!" Aian said with a laugh, his usual loudness back in full force.

Reiji simply nodded dumbly as he walked out of the store, almost instantly were his ears assaulted by a shocked, although equally delighted voice. "Hattori-sama!" He turned to see a plump looking woman dressed in bakers clothes looking at him as if he were her long lost son.

Almost immediately was a door thrown out from across the street, admitting a thin gangly man wearing what looked to be a chefs outfit. "Did someone say Hattori-sama?"

Reiji shirked away slightly as the two multiplied into dozens, _'Oh kami, oh kami, oh my god. Please no, no…no….no. FUCK YOU AIAN-SENSEI!' _Reiji shouted in his mind as he was enveloped by the swarm.

_End Flashback._

* * *

Present day…

Reiji growled threateningly as he remembered that day, he had been fed so much free food that day his stomach had almost burst. Not to mention the, irritating, ear desecrating squeals of girls that approached him once they heard member of their clan of heroes, a 'Hattori-sama' had returned.

Reiji had almost lost it, the amount of high pitched wailing had almost driven him in a blood-crazed frenzy, thankfully however the one who had spit his ass over the fire, so to speak, was the same one to pull him back out of it. Aian had grabbed him and made off with the child before anyone could even blink.

Whatever free time he had that wasn't taken up by training, meditating and training and then more training. Was taken up by working at the forge, Aian wasn't just some run of the mill blacksmith, the man was a god when it came to crafting; leatherworking and woodworking included.

Reiji clasped forearms with Aian and then bowed in the traditional greeting and farewell of Hi no Kuni's blacksmiths before slinging up his satchel bag, inside his was merely a few scribes and measuring tools for when he worked at the forge.

He hadn't done much besides the basic work, but recently Aian had 'promoted' him of sorts ever since he had hand forged a blade for a rōnin. Just the stock blade, no skirting or engravings or the like. But Aian had been impressed nonetheless, to fold steel onto itself over and over until you just _knew _at what point it was perfect was not something you could learn in a few years, you had to be born with it.

Reiji decided to take a different route on his way to the Hokage tower to see the Hokage this time; normally he just stalked up the streets and entered through the window…

* * *

Somewhere, deep behind enemy lines a man with raging white hair wearing a red and green gi cut at the waist sneezed violently.

His eye began to twitch as he uncannily swing his head into a direct point, his eyes seemingly piercing through the trees and mountains as it locked onto a specific area.

* * *

Reiji paused in his step as he felt like someone was currently boring his or her eyes into his back, he subtly spied the area around him and found nothing, shrugging the feeling off he continued down his way.

After what felt like a couple of minutes of walking, Reiji came across a couple remains of houses that looked to be burned down, he frowned as he took in the streets around him. Everything was deserted and run down.

Curiously, the boy turned on a whim into what looked to be a path to garden or park. As he walked on the crushed stone pathway, Reiji began to hear the faintest of whispering sounds.

It was subtle at first, but with every step he took the noise seemed to get louder and louder, it was so gradual that Reiji felt himself becoming adjusted to the strange, gnawing noise in the back of his head. For some reason, he felt drawn towards whatever lay ahead of him.

After a couple more minutes of walking, Reiji blinked in confusion at what he saw. It was the old, charred ruins of what was once obviously a brilliant compound, however, what caught his attention was the symbol on the barely supported sign in front of the manor. It was his clan's crest.

Frowning in confusion, Reiji made his way into the ruins, sidestepping piles of blackened wood and the like occasionally as he tried to navigate through the large manor. Eventually he came across a set of stairs leading up to nothing, all the floors above this one were gone so there was nowhere to climb up to.

"Must be another clan thing." Reiji said softly as he turned to leave, however as he did so he caught sight of something on the ground that was quite peculiar. The floorboards at the base of the stairs were pushed back a bit, going _into _the first step, leaving a small space open.

Reiji's face contorted into one of thought as he knelt down to study what looked to be a trapdoor. The problem with heaving the thing open would be, one, this could be a shinobi house, which meant traps. And two, he had no idea what was down there.

_'Haru-Ojichan would tell me to leave it and not get in trouble; Kyra would open it himself, as would Aian-sensei. Two to one, sorry old man.'_

His mind set, Reiji stuck his fingers into the crevice and heaved. It seemed to budge for a second before it stuck fast, not wishing to be outdone by a slab of wood; Reiji moved around and began to push instead of pull, trying to dislodge whatever was stopping it. He did not however, expect for it to suddenly slide open.

With a startled cry Reiji fell forwards into the pitch black darkness, reaching out desperately, he grabbed hold onto the first rung of the stairs in an effort to stop him from falling in and breaking his neck. Reiji winced as he felt rusty nails bite deep into the palm of his hand as he hung for a second by his one arm.

Looking down Reiji frowned; it wasn't that much of a drop, maybe about a couple of meters. Letting go of the stairs, he allowed himself to drop down lightly, crouching slightly to lessen the impact.

He took in his surroundings warily as he straightened out, looking around, he found that he could barely see a few feet in front of himself. '_And here I was priding myself on my decent night vision.' _The Hattori thought humorously to himself as he took out a wad of gauze and wrapped up his bleeding palm.

Finished with his rough field repair, Reiji took a step forward into the darkness. He couldn't rightly turn back now.

_'WHOOSH!'_

Reiji tensed as the loud gush of air rushed past him, ruffling his hair and clothes. Naught a second later, a trail of oil running down a groove on either side of the room he was in suddenly caught alight, illuminating what Reiji could now see was a hallway. The golden eyed child stared in awe as the long streak of flames on the either side of him travelled up the hallway to stop about half a mile away.

He stood rooted to the spot for a second before finally he willed his feet to move, he walked slowly as to take in the carvings on the wall. It was like a story told by pictures. However one figure popped up repeatedly, he stood victorious in almost every scene. A man clad completely in strange, black armour with a helmet in the shape of a dragon's head, in his hand was a massive spear towering above the man himself.

Reiji shook his head in wonder as he made his way down the lit up hallway. Soon enough he found himself at a dead end, it was a wall and carved into it was the same man in the pictures. He was carved in to look like he was presenting his clawed palm facing outwards.

Reiji frowned as he took in the sculpture, he was positive no stone-smith in Konoha could create such a masterpiece, not even Aian could replicate such a work of art with the finesse needed. The ripples in the stone almost made the carving seem like it was shimmering when his eyes moved, only to cancel the illusion when he focused on it.

Tentatively, he reached out a hand and trailed his fingers around the stone. He reached the stone figures hand and almost childishly, he placed his palm against the stone man's. Strangely, it felt… warm?

Surprised, Reiji tried moved his hand away only to find that he couldn't. It was stuck like glue. Eyes widening in slight fear, Reiji began to pull back, his panic rising as he couldn't seem to pull his hand away from the stone.

He made to put his foot on the wall to get better leverage when suddenly a piercing pain burrowed into the palm of his hand. Reiji bit back a yelp of pain as a countless amount of little pin pricks pierced into his hand.

The Hattori lord looked up in frustration as the carvings eyes suddenly sparked to life, a fierce golden colour almost exactly like his own eyes stared into his soul before it flashed blue, Reiji who was still subconsciously pulling to regain his limb found himself flung backwards as the statue suddenly released him.

Reiji grumbled angrily as he stood up and dusted himself off, he had knocked his head on the hard stone floor and was none too pleased. However his anger dissipated somewhat as what had looked like a wall suddenly split in half and opened like a pair of double doors, out of it trapped air vented out with startling force.

'_How old is this place?' _The Hattori survivor asked no one in particular.

With a confused look plastered onto his face, Reiji entered through the doors, what he found inside made his eyes widen.

It was like a god-damn cathedral inside; giant stone pillars lined either side of the cathedral, either for support or decoration he didn't know. But by Kami did it look amazing.

At the far end of the cathedral was a giant symbol of his clan, carved into the wall, and in the middle of the massive room was a pedestal. However what was resting _on _the pedestal was what caught his attention.

It was a gauntlet, though it was not like one that he had ever seen, he had seen the ANBU gauntlets and even a clawed design that Aian had made. But that was a child's toy compared to what he saw now.

The gauntlet was absolutely brilliant; there was no other word to describe it. Where other metal plated gloves or gauntlets typically came halfway up the fore-arm so as not to limit movement, the one in front of him looked like it came all the way up to a person's shoulder.

Approaching it tentatively, wary as to what happened last time, Reiji began to examine it. The thing was absolutely hellish, the tips of each finger were like some monsters claw, it was jet black in colour and had wavy spikes that came up in a sort of scaly pattern. Yet despite its frightening appearance, Reiji thought it was quite beautiful. For some reason, he felt drawn to it and now as he thought about it. The whispering that he had managed to tune out came back in full force, coming from the black piece of metal.

Unwillingly, Reiji reached for it, his movements not _entirely_ his own as he leaned towards the ominous gauntlet. As his fingers made contact there was a brilliant bright white from a point in between the contact of skin on metal. And then absolute, mortifying pain.

He should have known, something that shouldn't even be alive that was whispering to you would have made most wise people know to stay away from it. Yet the urge to touch it was so strong. However that was all for naught as the gauntlet melted into some black, syrup like substance before flying up and latching onto his arm, wrapping the appendage in its burning embrace.

Reiji had never screamed so hard in his life as he threw himself at the floor and began to beat his head bloody against the stone floor in an effort to divert the pain, or at least knock himself out. The pain was almost unbearable, he felt like he had shoved his entire arm into Aian's forge, and then pulled it out to shave his burnt skin off with sandpaper.

The few words that were coherent enough to make out from the wordless screams, were enough to make a sailor blush.

After what felt like an eternity of agony, the boy finally passed into the blissful abyss of unconsciousness.

* * *

Naruto grumbled as he turned in his sleep, only to knock his head against a… rock?

The blond haired youth shot upright as his eyes whipped around for potential hostiles before reaching up to sooth the dull aching pain in his temple, he gave a half-hearted glare at the insufferable rock that had woken him up and sighed in frustration.

He had passed out. Again.

Naruto stood slowly as he took in his surroundings; the entire area looked like a wild boar had gone on a rampage. There were gouges and cracks in the bark of trees and the training logs had enough blood on them to fill a small animal.

Naruto glanced at his knuckles and frowned, his hand should be mush right now, he should be bleeding from every part of his body, and he should be more tired than the dead themselves. But he wasn't. Normally he didn't think on it, but now he was wondering why he was so different, he had never really cared; however lessons with the person he called Weasel-sensei had opened up his mind.

He had been nothing but a small broken boy when he had met the Weasel masked ANBU, he had just been about to be assaulted by a pair of drunk chūnin when suddenly one man suddenly froze in his steps and clutched his throat, not a second later did a fountain of blood spurt from a perfect slash across his throat.

Naruto had recoiled in horror at the display, but it was not over, before he could even blink, suddenly a figure he had known to be an ANBU appeared in front of him. The ANBU said nothing as he quickly strode up to the frightened, drunk chūnin and spilled his intestines across the pavement before turning to Naruto.

The man had extended is hand to him, asking for his hand wordlessly. That was the first time he had met his sensei.

And recently he had found from the Hokage that the man had gone rogue and slaughtered the entire Uchiha clan. He was sad, sad that he could not see his sensei again, but he was also angry. Angry that one of his few precious people had abandoned him.

In this anger he had stormed out and punched everything he could until he blacked out, now he was here. Smelly, covered in sweat and tired in the middle of a training ground.

Shaking his head to clear the fogginess of sleep, Naruto began to make his way to his apartment. Though, for some reason something didn't feel right. _'It's not normally this chilly.' _Naruto thought to himself as he subconsciously quickened his pace, normally cold wasn't that much of a big deal. Although the chill he was feeling seemed to pierce through him, as if his skin wasn't there to protect his insides.

Shrugging off the uneasy feeling, Naruto wound his way through the streets of Konoha into the upper parts of the village, near the Hokage's tower. The training ground he had been at was at the most eastern part of Konoha, so as he made his way back he had to pick his way through the demolished north eastern sector. It was much less grander than it sounded; it was more like a small block of old, burnt down buildings under reconstruction. The only thing of note was the rather large estate, of course it was now rubble, though it would have been quite amazing in its prime.

Coincidentally, his path had him passing said structure. He stopped for a second to observe, it was strange how the grass was perfectly green and levelled to precise measurements, same with the shrubs and trees as they too were trimmed to perfection. Even though in all his time in Konoha, he had never seen a single soul anywhere near the 'burnt block' as the kids called it.

Naruto was about to move on when suddenly he was overcome with an overwhelming urge to look back at the burnt down estate, frowning in curiosity, he turned fully and peered through the darkness. Almost as soon as his eyes locked onto the estate, a painfully bright light shot out from a square hole at the base of the stairs, and not a second later did he hear an ear rending scream.

With barely a thought passing through his head, Naruto took off. Pounding through the perfect greenery as he leapt into the crevice from where the light had come from. Naruto paused in his step as he took in his surroundings; he had dropped into a hallway, with amazing carvings lining the walls with trails of oil lit on fire illuminating the passage.

"What is this place?" the blonde asked quietly. His answer was a deep, pain-filled groan coming from deep down the passageway.

Snapped out of his thoughts, Naruto set off to find what had led him here. As he pounded down through the hallway, he noticed that sometimes when his vision wasn't focused on one spot, the carvings in the wall would shift and move. It was unnerving, but he was more concerned with the person currently in pain right now, what was more unnerving however. Was the fact that the noises had stopped.

In slight panic, Naruto kicked the gear up another level. Almost stumbling down a set of stairs as he suddenly came into a massive opening. Naruto came to a stop as another stage of awe set in, he was surrounded by large, stone pillars. As wide as he was long and tall enough so that he could barely even see the top of them. All around him were engravings depicting battles, the sea and even forests. However in all of them, there was always one man clad in black, demonic looking armour.

"Kami. Where-" Naruto abruptly cut himself off as something on the floor in front of him caught his attention. It was another boy, around his age if he were to guess.

Cautiously, the blonde approached the other boy. As he drew closer, he realised there were a few peculiar things about the person in front of him. One, his entire left hand from fingertip to shoulder was encompassed in some kind of demonic, jet black armour. Two, he was glowing slightly, however that had just stopped. And three, he was butt naked, and because his state of undress, Naruto could see a strange, fiery tattoo design of sorts stretching from the boy's left hip to just under his right breast.

The blonde haired youth frowned as he looked over the other boy's naked body before turning to find something to cover him up with. All around him were big stone doors leading to... something, one of them should have a blanket or clothes.

Naruto sighed as he made his way to the closest door, marvelling at how he always managed to find his way in some ridiculous situation.

"Fuck my curiosity, and fuck the surprises that come with it." Naruto growled to himself half-heartedly.

* * *

Somewhere in Tsuchi no Kuni…

A young man frowned as he looked over the bleak landscape, he looked to be an energetic, fiery person. Judging by the bells around his waist and the ones riveted into the back of his dadao sabre. However his entire posture was slumped and his eyes seemed to be glazed over in thought as he looked over the mountains and canyons of rock and dirt.

It was raining heavily, even though there were no clouds in the night sky. It poured over him and with each drop that landed on his skin, he felt like a part of him was washed away. Though it might have just been the fact that he was wearing no clothes on his upper body.

His entire attire consisted solely of loose, baggy dark orange pants with pointed slippers. To keep the pants around his waist, he wrapped white gauze around his hips until it reached his belly button. On his head he wore a folded bandana that served two fold, to keep his fiery orange hair out of his eyes, and to identify his allegiance to his village. Iwagakure, of course.

In his entranced-like state, he never noticed the woman that had took a seat over the edge of the cliff next to him.

"This is such a dreary place; tell me why I came here with you?" She said softly, although a small smile graced her lips.

The orange haired man jumped slightly before he spied the woman, "Kami, Chokei-chan! Don't sneak up on me!" He exclaimed loudly before grinning, though both could tell it was not filled with his usual exuberance.

Chokei merely turned a baleful eye on him, "Gan. I almost tripped on my way here because of your untidy clutter." She gestured to the array of mess littered in front of his tent, from utensils to kunai. Gan had the grace to blush as he looked away. "I can't really say that I 'sneaked' anywhere."

The fiery looking man simply smiled, causing the woman to look at him strangely. Gan never smiled shyly, it was either a toothy grin or a buffoonish smirk, never a little smile.

"To answer your question, you came because you can't say no to me. And yes, this place is killing me slowly." Gan said the last words with a sigh as he stood and shifted his large sabre into a better position. "We should have left with Rokkun-sensei. The late Hattori lord had granted him a new life, one that isn't filled with rocks 'n shit." He mumbled a trace of his former self coming back as he turned back to the camp.

Chokei gave him another queer look before sighing, "Well, be that as it may." The woman said with a huff as she rolled up a bedroll. "That bandit fort is getting more and more difficult to crack with every second we waste. We should go."

Gan merely nodded as he unrolled a scroll and shoved all of his things on top of an open scroll before holding up a half ram seal, sealing all of his mess into the single scroll. As he finished, he suddenly caught a strange shiver in his spine that made him twitch slightly.

He stumbled back, and then his vision became obscured as he could see nothing but black. Then suddenly, a pair of brilliant, golden eyes shot open from nowhere, giving him look of confusion before disappearing. And with its departure, his vision came back.

"What in Kami's fuck?" He exclaimed unintelligently, he stumbled again as a wave of exhaustion settled in before he finally passed out for good. He barely heard Chokei's cry before his head hit the hard packed earth.

* * *

Reiji eyes snapped open from his position on the floor, within the second he had bolted upright. His golden gaze snapped to focus just as fatigue suddenly kicked in.

"Urgh, who the hell was that guy?" The boy grumbled to himself lowly as he remembered a shirtless man with bright orange hair staring at him in confusion before everything suddenly went black again.

Despite the fact that he had spoken out loud, Reiji did not expect a response, so he was thoroughly surprised when a voice spoke up from behind him.

"Which guy?"

Reiji shot to his feet and spun around to face the stranger, he was greeted by the sight of a boy around his age, with mellow blonde hair and azure blue eyes staring back at him curiously.

"Who are- Oh, fuck!" Reiji began to question before a blinding headache began to pound away at his skull, he lifted his left hand to bring it to his temple and palm it. Well he would have had he not almost knocked himself senseless onto the floor.

The Hattori lord looked at his left hand in confusion before letting out a startled yelp. The gauntlet he had seen on the pedestal, it was now on his arm. "Shit! What is this doing on me!?" He shouted as panic began to settle in.

The blonde boy however merely tilted his head at him, "Are you… Like, you know a vegetable or something." He asked uncertainly.

Hearing this, Reiji turned a withering glare on the blonde, momentarily forgetting about the gauntlet attached to his arm. "I'm not retarded you dimwit, can you not see this great bloody piece of metal stuck to my arm?" He asked heatedly.

The blonde however responded with a glare of his own, "If it's so troubling then why don't you take it off? And why were you screaming before? And what is this place?" He added after an afterthought, his face taking on a look of curiosity as he turned his attention to the cathedral.

Reiji almost palmed his head at the barrage of questions, only not doing so because one, he would most certainly injure himself with the gauntlet on his hand, and two, it would be hypocritical. Instead, he looked at the piece of armour and began to examine it for latches or buckles, anything that would allow him to take it off. Finding nothing, Reiji threw patience to the wind and began to yank on it furiously, after a full minute failure; he threw his hands in the air in exasperation.

"Kami!...get… off damnit!" He roared as he swung his arm around childishly, to his surprise he felt a warm, strangely pleasant burning sensation as the gauntlet receded into his skin. The only mark that it had been there at all was the strange black marking on his arm. It was a single, thin, strand-like flame chain that coiled around his arm from his wrist to shoulder.

"What is this madness?" The Hattori muttered to himself as he traced the design, he actually quite liked it. Every touch brought out that same, pleasant burning feeling.

The blonde however merely stared at him in shock, "That was… pretty awesome." He said quietly.

Reiji looked at him and shrugged, "I don't even know how that happened, one moment I was touching this thing and the next, pain. And now it's like, embedded into my skin." He said with a slight frown. He looked up at the blonde curiously, "Why are you here anyway? And who are you?"

The blonde's eyes moved from his arm to his eyes, widening slightly as he realised that Reiji had deep, golden eyes and purple, magatama bead like pupils. However he didn't comment on it. "Well, my name's Uzumaki Naruto. And like I said I heard screaming, I came down to check and found you _naked_ with that…thing on your arm." He replied, putting emphasis on the word naked.

Reiji frowned in confusion before looking down at himself and frowning. He was indeed fully naked. "What the hell happened to my clothes?" The boy grumbled as he looked around for them only to find nothing, growling lowly, he spied a blanket and moved to it. Reiji wrapped it around himself like a robe before turning back to Naruto.

"Thank you Uzumaki, my name is Reiji Hattori." Reiji looked down at his tattooed arm before frowning. "Do you know how long I was out?" he asked.

Naruto pursed his lips in thought, "I heard first heard you about ten minutes ago, soo." He left his words hanging.

Reiji merely nodded before moving up to the pedestal where the gauntlet had been, clicking his tongue in curiosity as he found a large, groove coincidentally in the shape of his gauntlet's claw. Naruto moved up beside him, not noticing the button as he looked at the boy's arm.

"What's up with the tattoos? And that claw thingy?" He asked.

Reiji frowned in thought as he looked at his arm once more, "I've got no clue." He replied simply, though his mind was running rampant with his thoughts.

'_When I more or less desired to get it off, it 'sunk' into my skin. What if I want it to come out?' _Deciding that nothing could really go wrong, Reiji willed the gauntlet to come out. To his surprise, the same burning feeling rippled through his arm before black, liquid like substance spilled out from the spiral markings. Within less than a second or two, his appendage was once again demonic.

Naruto whistled in appreciation, "That's a nifty trick." He commented lightly.

To be completely honest with himself, Naruto had to admit that he was a tad jealous. The gauntlet was quite frankly badass.

However Reiji ignored him for the moment, instead he chose to sink his clawed hand into slot. When nothing happened, he pushed down, still nothing.

Naruto pursed his lips as he stared at the pedestal, '_Hmm, maybe he should turn it like a key?'_

As he was about to voice his thoughts, Reiji did just that. The effect was instant; dust began to spill out from the edges of large crest in front of them as it began to rise into the wall. Revealing a secret passageway.

Naruto stood slack jawed as he gazed upon the miraculous piece of engineering; he was no builder or scientist. But even he could tell that engineering like this was nothing short of miraculous.

"What is this place?" he asked again.

Reiji shrugged indifferently, though he too was amazed. "This is one of my clan member's home, well. It used to be."

Naruto nodded his understanding before turning a quizzical eye on the boy next to him. "Uh, well I'll leave you to it then." With that the blonde turned and began to make his way out, although he was sad about not being able to see what was beyond, he had no right to be here in the first place.

He stopped however when Reiji tapped him on the shoulder, almost making him jump in surprise; he hadn't even heard Reiji move. Naruto hid is surprise fairly well however when he turned to face the boy.

Reiji looked away abashedly as he met Naruto's gaze, he didn't know why, but he didn't want the other boy to leave. '_Maybe it's that friendship thing Kyra was going on about.' _The Hattori thought to himself wryly.

"So, you don't want to have a look around or anything?" Reiji asked quietly.

Naruto turned a foxy grin to his golden eyed friend. "I thought that since this was your clan thing you didn't want me here."

Reiji shrugged, "I've only got two people in this village that I am familiar with, and that's the Sandaime and a local blacksmith. You're the first person I've actually had to interact with properly." The Hattori admitted with a smirk.

Naruto gaped at him in shock, "Are you new to the village then? No wait… I've seen you at the academy. You can't be new."

Reiji nodded in assent before letting loose an animalistic growl that made Naruto take a step back in surprise, not that he noticed as he was looking away. "Mah, the academy." Reiji massaged his temple slowly, as If the mere thought of the ninja school gave him a headache. "That place is the seventh circle of hell. I'm sure of it." Reiji muttered darkly.

Naruto merely laughed as he pat Reiji on the back, taking in how the other boy's muscles coiled under his hand, ready to spring into action. "Well, since we're friends now. You can count on me to save your ass! Dattebayo! Let's go."

Reiji cocked his head to the side slightly as he regarded the cheerful blonde for a second, before giving into his habit of biting his lip as he followed his eccentric…friend.

Reiji felt a small smile crease his face as he thought about it, though he would never admit it. Naruto seemed so; comfortable to be around, it was strange as the only person he had felt this from were all three of his parental/family figures.

Shaking off his thoughts, Reiji jumped up and took point. Based on what he had seen before, this place seemed to answer to him; he didn't want to see what happened if he let Naruto interact with the contraptions within.

* * *

A tall, muscular figure clad completely in black, demonic armour overlooking a vast sea of molten rock and lava frowned as he looked down his clawed right hand. It was dripping.

As if his armour was made of ice and was being exposed to a flame, it began to drip off of him. Revealing not skin, but muscle and sinew underneath.

"**It seems as if you have selected another whose will is stronger than mine. Interesting." **The armoured entity's voice was deep and earthy as it spoke to the armour covering his arm.

The armour clad man clenched his fist and grunted, and like time itself was being reversed, the drops that had fallen onto the floor shot back up, reforming and filling up the patches. **_'It seems like I will have to constantly battle to keep from losing the Tamashi suit. Very interesting.'_**

* * *

Reiji frowned as he looked around; he was in another large room like the cathedral. However this one was noticeably smaller and the walls were rounded perfectly. The pillars, instead of being in the middle were halfway inset into the wall in an octagonal pattern. In each of the half-pillars were what looked to be doorways.

In the middle of the circular room was a massive stone tablet, however it was written in some strange writing. Reiji walked up to this tablet and stared at it, as he did so, his mouth opened and he began to speak. Only he didn't know it.

"_Of the seven Akuma clans, only the lord of his own can unlock his path. On each path, there will be three trials, those unworthy will perish in the flames of fate."_

Reiji blinked slowly as he stared at the words before he realised Naruto was staring at him. Slightly peeved, he turned a golden eye on the blonde.

"Are you finished gawking at me?" He asked roughly.

Naruto shook his head furiously before gesturing to Reiji helplessly, "What the fuck was that?"

"What was what?"

"You! You just read that gibberish in some freaky ass voice!" Naruto shouted.

Reiji frowned at him, "I… I did? And yeah some of it is gibberish, but the first two lines are clear as day."

Naruto's lip curled in confusion, "I can't read it… Wait! I can read the bottom part." The blonde leaned forward to get a clearer view, and like with Reiji, he began to speak unknowingly.

"_Battle the soul of a drowned god, claim its power, and break your curse, or serve the fallen angel for eternity."_

Reiji squinted at the blonde curiously, that voice that came out of the blonde wasn't human.

"It says 'Battle the soul of a drowne-" Naruto began, however Reiji cut him off.

"I know."

The blonde turned to him, "Oh, so you can read that too." Naruto stated.

However Reiji merely shook his head, "No, no I can't read it. Like you said its gibberish, though you just read all of that in some strange voice, just like you said I did."

Naruto looked at him incredulously, "I don't remember doing that."

Reiji shrugged, "Just like I don't remember me reading the first two lines."

Naruto pursed his lips in thought, "What the fuck?"

Reiji merely hummed in agreement as he moved over to one of the doors. "Seven Akuma clans huh, and only the lord can open his clan's path? Well, I'm the Hattori lord." Shrugging, Reiji placed his clawed palm against the door.

As the door began to rumble and open, a satisfied grin split the golden eyed boy's face, revealing his sharp looking canines. He turned to Naruto with that same, fanged grin. "Heh, it's the blood of badasses. What can I say?"

Naruto merely snorted in reply as he moved to the door over from Reiji, "If that's the case then these doors should be kneeling before me!" Naruto exclaimed as he placed his hand against the stone, like Reiji had. Only unlike Reiji's actions, the area under his palm began to glow a whitish blue.

Much to his shock and Reiji's enjoyment, Naruto found himself flung backwards like a ragdoll where his back collided harshly with the wall on the far end of the circular room, causing Reiji to stifle his laughter and wince slightly.

"That looked nasty." The Hattori lord observed.

Naruto merely glared at him as he stood haughtily, seeking to retain his remaining dignity. "Fwah! What a rude door!"

Reiji merely laughed as he moved to the same door, "Like I said. Badass blood beats all-" Reiji stopped as he noticed that he hand had begun to glow.

"Fuck."

'_CRASH!' _

Naruto walked over to the boy, holding his sides as they threatened to seize up from his uncontrollable laughter.

Reiji glared at the boy before growling threateningly, though it had no effect on the blond. "Shut up."

Naruto however just placed his hands on his knees for support, "Mah, Reiji!… Hah! That was too good!" He managed through his chuckles.

When Reiji saw that his companion had finally managed to regain himself, he shook his mane of spiky black hair before huffing. "You're right, that door is an ass." Reiji said while glaring at the offending door before making his way to the now open passage that he had opened. _'Too many secret rooms. Way too many.'_

Naruto merely nodded in agreement as he followed the raven haired boy. Inside was rather bare, it was another circular room however much smaller. On the opposite end was a large double door, and like the first door, the carving of the man clad in the demonic armour, just like the one Reiji had on his arm was carved into the stone. His spear resting across his shoulders as his glowing golden eyes stared the two boys down eerily.

Naruto forced off a shiver, looking up he noticed that Reiji had moved up ahead of him, the Hattori was currently examining a set of clothes on a mannequin. The clothes were strange looking, but not unstylish.

On the wooden doll's upper sized body was a tight-fitting dark grey kimono shirt with black trimmings. A red, flowing obi was tied around the mid-section to keep it shut. Over the shirt rested a charcoal coloured, sleeveless coat that reached to the bottom of the wearers calves, it too was enamoured with jet black trims. A deep cowl was attached to it. The bottom half consisted of black shinobi pants tucked under knee high, metal studded leather boots.

Reiji whistled as he eyed the brilliantly made set of clothes, and hastily threw his blanket to the side as he began to dress himself. Naruto pouted in curiosity, "What is it with you and flinging off your clothes whenever you get the chance?" The blonde asked.

Reiji turned to him as he tied his kimono shirt closed with the red sash, "They always get shredded to pieces anyway, I don't really care anymore."

Naruto shrugged as he walked up to the door opposite the entrance. "I'll bet you a fifty Ryo that this door is a jackass as well." Naruto deadpanned as he gazed upon the brilliantly carved figure, as he said that however, he could have sworn the armoured figures eyes were more narrowed than before.

Reiji shrugged as he pulled on the last of his boots, he was pleasantly surprised that they fit him, perfectly in fact. They didn't ride up anywhere although they had looked much too oversized on the mannequin.

He approached the door and sighed as he stared up at the armour clad warrior, "I'm starting to hate magical doors, you never know if they're going to open or fling you across the room." The Hattori lord muttered under his breath as he moved up to the door.

Placing his palm against it, Reiji braced for the flinging to commence. When he didn't feel himself being hurled back, he turned his attention to the door and almost fell flat on his rear in shock.

Though his blonde companion didn't have nearly as much self-restraint, evident by the heavy thud that sounded from the collision of ass on stone.

The armoured warrior was leaning out from his place on the door, showing that it was in fact a three dimensional sculpture. It stared at Reiji inquisitively before shaking its head slightly and leaning back into the wall to resume its place. Once again turning to stone.

Thoughts that were not his own came unbidden into his mind.

_'Too young.'_

Reiji frowned as he looked over at his companion who had placed a good deal of distance between himself and the door. "That was…"

"Fucking insane!" Naruto supplied as he shook his head in disbelief. Looking up at Reiji, the blonde deadpanned at him. "Your clan is batshit crazy Reiji, moving statues, magic doors, and demon armour, claw thingy's that sink into your skin? There's a remedy for this, it's called an insane asylum!"

Reiji merely bit his lip in contemplation before turning on his heel and making his way to the exit. "Come Naruto, we're testing every door in this place. This is too much to pass up."

The only response he got was a pained groan, bringing a smirk to his face.

* * *

Naruto was tired, more tired than he had ever been in fact he realised as he flung himself onto his bed. First he had gone and trained until he dropped, then he had met the strangest individual he ever had the pleasure of interacting with to date. Though it was not an unpleasant meeting, although littered with bizarre mishaps, he was oddly content with how things had unravelled.

He had made a friend, one that he liked to be around. Naruto couldn't quite pin it down, but he felt somehow connected to the golden eyed boy, like he was supposed to be around him.

He frowned into his pillow as he thought about it, it was indeed, strange.

His wandering mind moved onto the underground chamber, now there was an interesting topic. The scary looking armour that had melded into Reiji's skin, the 'jackass' doors that had flung them all across the room like ragdolls, and the strange writing, where one could read one part where the other couldn't and vice versa.

The entire affair was worthy of the world's greatest headache. Though Naruto found that he was still happy with how things had turned out.

The blonde haired youth turned his head to look at his alarm clock, '2:21 am'.

"Damnit, I'm going to be late. I know it." Naruto grumbled a she buried his face into his pillow. Sleep took him within its warm embrace almost immediately.

* * *

Naruto opened his eyes blearily, although he didn't feel tired at all which was undoubtedly strange since he had gone to bed at two in the morning after an especially taxing day. As he withdrew from his thoughts, Naruto finally took note of his surroundings. There were no wooden rafters that lined his apartment, no creamy white walls, no bedside table, he wasn't even in a _bed_. Sitting up, Naruto noticed that he was lying in ankle deep, lukewarm water.

Eyes widening, the boy rolled backwards from his sitting position into a ready stance as he strained his senses. But there was nothing, no sound, no wind, he could only see, and not very well at that. Only low hanging lights seemed to illuminate the area.

Looking around, Naruto made a moue of distaste as he wrinkled his nose in an instinctive reaction to his surroundings, even though he couldn't smell anything at all. He was in a sewer.

Loosening up slightly, Naruto averted his eyes from the greenish water to the ceiling. There were two pipes, a red and blue one respectively, that travelled down through a certain path through what he knew had to be a maze, if the multitude of pathway's had anything to say about it.

Shrugging disconcertedly, Naruto began to follow the two disproportional pipes, disproportional because the red pipe was big enough for a man to crawl through, while the blue pipe looked like a mouse would have trouble squeezing through it.

After what seemed to be a good hour or so, Naruto felt a deep sense of foreboding dawn upon him. His mind and heart were both screaming at him to turn back and run, but his curiosity was a powerful motive in and of itself. Pausing in his step as he sighted a corner that he would have to turn, Naruto pondered as to what to do. After a moment of thought, the blonde pursed his lips and stepped forward. Curiosity might have killed the cat, he reasoned. But enlightenment might bring him back.

Naruto strode forward with long, powerful strides. Refusing to be daunted by whatever had his instincts screaming about self-preservation.

As soon as he turned the corner, Naruto was hit with a blinding light. Shielding his eyes with his hand, the boy allowed his eyes to readjust before lowering it. The sight that greeted him was even more amazing then Reiji's crazy clans contraptions.

It was a _massive, _golden gate. Taller than he could see thanks to the darkness above and almost five times as wide as the Hokage tower. Directly in the middle where the keyhole would be, was what looked to be a flimsy looking piece of paper with the kanji for 'seal' written neatly.

Frowning in thought, Naruto moved up to the bars of the door and peered inside. Though the darkness was too deep to even see through, it was like a blanket or cloak, this darkness was far from natural.

Almost as soon as leaned in between the bars, he caught sight of a red, mist like energy begin to float upwards. Naruto heard a cracking of joints and bones as something massive seemed to raise itself to its full height.

That same sense of foreboding came back in full force, but Naruto squashed it down ruthlessly. He would not show fear in the face of… _whatever _was behind this giant barrier.

He did not have to wait long to find out.

One second, Naruto had been squinting to peer through the darkness. The next, a massive, red furred skull pounded against the bars. A hairs breadth away from directly smacking Naruto into oblivion. The blonde let out a startled yelp as he jumped back in fright, landing roughly on his backside before he scrambled to his feet.

Naruto looked up to send a murderous glare at whatever had slammed into the gate before what he saw made his jaw drop in astonishment.

The darkness was no more, instead was a powerful golden backlight that illuminated his aggressor in all its glory. A massive fox sitting on its haunches, nine bushy tails waved around behind its red furred body menacingly.

Its body was streamlined, packed with lean, toned muscle that gave the mighty kitsune a look of speed, though the long, wiry arms looked like they could flatten mountains like pancakes.

A thinly furred neck led to the giant beast's face, its mouth was curled into a mocking grin and its slitted, red eyes held a hateful glint in them.

All in all, Naruto was at loss for words. The being in front of him was majestic, and undoubtedly beautiful. As he thought this, the giant fox recoiled as if struck then lowered itself down and growled threateningly at the blonde.

"**I****_. _****Am not. ****_Beautiful_****. Get those undermining thoughts out of your head." **It growled out lowly. Its tone harsh and deep.

Instead of being cowed into submission, Naruto instead grinned sheepishly and scratched the back of his neck. "Heh, sorry. But the truth hurts fuzzy." The blonde said, a mischievous glint entering his eye.

The fox growled again, with more intensity than before. "**Watch your tongue, ningen. I will not hesitate to eviscerate you." **It snarled.

Naruto merely shrugged, though he was slightly sceptical. He was about to retort when a thought suddenly hit him, "Wait, how did you know what I was thinking then? Can you read my mind?" He asked.

The fox merely snorted in contempt, Naruto was not fazed however and took it as a 'yes'.

Though he was slightly put off by the fact, he didn't let it show. "So. What do you do for fun around here?" Naruto asked with a naughty smirk playing around his lips.

The fox's right eye began to twitch as the boy merely stared up at him expectantly, though it had watched Naruto grow up, though it had observed every action the boy made and was privy to almost everything the boy was. It was still absolutely floored, never in its great years had _anything _spoke to him like this. Even other biju tip-toed around the nine-tailed fox.

It knew only of one other being who would blatantly disregard it like this, and the thought brought forth a bubbling rage and hate. With a mighty roar, the fox straightened to its full height and stared down at the boy, who had fallen flat on his back again.

"**Make no mistake, ****_boy_****. I am a being greater than anything you can even comprehend! I am the Kyuubi no kitsune! I can submerge your very realm in a hell so real that the Shinigami will be at loss with the amount of souls he will have to reap!" **The fox roared as malicious red energy began to whip around it in an erratic pattern.

Naruto suppressed his urge to turn and run and fought down a wave of nausea that suddenly attempted to overcome him, '_Damn it, I won't bow down to some overgrown rat!'_

Hoisting himself to his feet, Naruto turned a hard gaze towards the enraged fox. Blood red met icy blue as the two stared each other down. After what seemed like days for what was actually minutes, Naruto's posture relaxed and his apathetic visage suddenly did a full 180 as a cheerful smile split the boy's face.

"All I got out of that your name? Kyuubi? That's a _pretty _name!" Naruto exclaimed, though he did not show it. The blonde was slightly unnerved, he knew he shouldn't push his luck, whatever this creature was. It could incinerate him with a thought, he knew. But he would not back down, that was not his way.

Kyuubi merely stared at him before lowering itself onto its belly and baring its teeth in contempt. "**You pathetic fool. Get out."**

Naruto went to reply when he suddenly felt a powerful pull behind his navel, gritting his teeth in slight pain, the blonde fought back against it.

The giant fox meanwhile, had risen up to its feet and began to frown at the child currently struggling against what seemed to absolutely nothing. But in truth, the boy was resisting his mind and a good tail worth of energy too, another brick to face for the biju. Eventually, the child finally won out; after all it was his mind. He was god here.

But no one, not even a god should let his or her guard down.

As soon as the blonde let loose a sigh of relief, he was suddenly sent hurtling back through the air by some unseen force before vanishing just as he hit the wall. Leaving a glowing kitsune behind, glowing because the seal was restraining it from exerting even more power.

Lowering itself down once more, the great kitsune growled as it nestled its head into its arm just as the seal noticed its co-operation and released the proverbial shackles. **_'That… was unexpected.'_**

* * *

**AN: For the gauntlet, think of Daedric gauntlets from ESV Skyrim, though with no lessened armour in between joints. Just full on spiky, scale-like armour going from clawed fingertips to shoulder.**

**To avoid confusion, one Ryo is a fifth of one Australian dollar. ( Roughly the same as the US dollar and the European pound is double that of a dollar as of now.) So Asuma's bounty of fifty million would be ten million in RL.**

** It was always strange to me as to why Kakashi wasn't told about Naruto's lineage, as well as the fact that he wasn't able to figure it out instantly anyway. He ****_should _****have treated Naruto like a god-damn king. It's his sensei's SON, as the last surviving member of the Yondaime's genin team; he should feel obligated to watch over the blonde. Instead he harps on towards Sasuke as if he wants 'Uchiha-sama's' one-inch-old-one-eye. Fucking bizarre, maybe it's just me?**

**I won't actually make Kakashi treat Naruto like a king, that's taking it too far. But he should actually make a point to help the kid at least like he did Sasuke in canon. Don't get me wrong, while a boring character, I do like Sasuke, he's independent and doesn't shirk from things outside his comfort zone. Do not think that this is a bashing fic, there'll be very little if any at all of that. I will simply play to how I think the characters are portrayed.**


	5. Sunrise, III

Chapter 3, Sunrise III

A few days later…

* * *

"If he gets to Konohagakure, then that's it, we turn and fall back." A tall man fully clad in a grey tunic with a black facemask covering his features, ground out through his clenched teeth to the other three behind him, all with matching outfits.

One of them tried to argue against the man's orders. "But we can't ju-"

"No buts! I won't have Orochimaru-sama's enemies provoked needlessly." The apparent leader snapped off in a hostile tone.

The team shared resolute looks before they began to pick up the pace.

* * *

A decent distance ahead of the pursuing shinobi, a young boy pounded furiously through the forestry of Hi no Kuni, a stark contrast to the murky swamps and numerous islands of his homeland, which could be deduced from the Kirigakure headband that was tied around his left thigh. In his left hand was a kunai made entirely of ice, and in his right he clenched a scroll stained with blood.

_'__I'm not sure what I can accomplish by running mother, but I won't let yours and nii-sans sacrifice be for nothing. I will get this to the Hokage, or I'll die trying!'_

With his new-found determination fuelling his willpower, the boy flooded his body with almost all the chakra he had left, his pace picking up considerably as the trees began to blur past him.

He ran for what seemed like a millennia, but was in truth a few minutes. As he crested a hill, he caught sight of a rather large lake, and beyond it was what looked to be a large house, barely short of being a manor. And on the far bank of the lake, a young male around his age stopped what looked to be his meditation and stood up. From the distance he was at, all he could make out was a pair of glowing golden eyes locking onto him before the person began to walk towards him. The golden-eyes stranger held up a hand, asking him to stop, but the fleeing boy did not, instead he ran harder. So with no other alternative, the stranger readied himself for a fight.

However, instead of a fight, the Kiri boy merely slowed down and slumped into the other boy, surprising the stranger with his proximity and lack of ill intent. He held up a battered scroll weakly to the other boy. "For… the Hokage." Was all he managed to croak out before his body shut down, with his mind following shortly after.

Reiji scratched the top of his head in confusion before gently pushing the other boy away to hold up at an arm's length, only alluding to more confusion setting in as he realised the Kiri ninja seemed to be unconscious. Snorting in no small amount of irritation, the golden eyed Jinchuuriki roughly slung the boy over his shoulder in a fireman's carry before turning and walking back into his house, but not before pausing to pick up the scroll that had rolled out of the unconscious boy's fingers.

After a while of messing around, Reiji finally managed to throw the sleeping boy onto a nearby couch and draped a blanket over him before he rubbed his face tiredly. He had spent the entire day getting his ass burnt off by Aian-sensei just to come home and find some guy who had passed out on top of him, rambling on about the Hokage and a scroll, which he now had in his hand.

Growling in annoyance, Reiji glared at the unconscious boy before exiting his manor and making for the Hokage tower with the scroll in his hand. He could not, in good conscience, just disregard what the other boy had worked so hard for. And judging by the wounds, he needed medical treatment that he couldn't provide.

"What must one do for some peace?" Reiji asked the night sky.

* * *

(_Some time later...__)_

The Sandaime Hokage frowned as he studied the young boy sleeping fitfully in the hospital bed, and for what seemed like the third time that day; he quickly skimmed over the letter the boy had brought with him. It was stamped with official Yuki clan's seal; however the letter was nothing of the diplomatic nature. He wanted to revise over it once more, however it seemed that fate would not allow him that, instead, the young boy's chakra suddenly spiked small amount and he started to shift around in his bed sheets.

The child suddenly stopped moving and his breathing stilled, at this Hiruzen raised a brow in amusement. "I don't see the point in hiding your lack of torpor after nearly throwing those poor sheets onto the floor." The elderly Kage chided. "Rise slowly Kenshin-kun, your body has taken quite the beating."

Both of Kenshin's pale, ice blue eyes snapped open and his face contorted into a frown. As instructed, the boy sat up very slowly, thankful that the old man had instructed him to do so. He went to mumble his thanks, but when he turned his gaze to the elderly man, he nearly fell out of his bed.

'_That's not some old man… That's the Sandaime Hokage!'_

Instead of losing his composure in the face of the God of all shinobi, Kenshin bowed his head. "Forgive me Hokage-sama, I would kneel…"

The Sandaime clicked his tongue admonishingly. "I'd rather you not wound yourself further, child."

Kenshin looked up at the Hokage; he was vastly different from how books and people described him. The God of shinobi was said to be a towering figure that instilled terror into the hearts of even other shinobi with a single look. Instead, what he saw was a kind, grandfatherly figure that looked at him with a mischievous twinkle in his eye. He was no fool however, even in his relaxed state; Kenshin could literally feel the raw _power_ radiating from the old man. The Hokage was certainly not someone to be trifled with.

Instead, he decided to settle for getting some of his questions answered, as long as the Sandaime felt like entertaining him of course. "My wounds have healed quite a bit, may I ask how long I was unconscious for, Hokage-sama?" Kenshin took care to word his thoughts properly; he couldn't risk offending his gracious host.

The Sandaime sat down in a chair by the foot of his bed. "Two weeks and fourteen hours." Before Kenshin could ask, Hiruzen picked up a nearby clipboard and began to read from it. "You suffered from numerous cuts and muscle tearing… And a sickening bout of chakra exhaustion. You should be long dead, there's no doubt about it Kenshin-kun, the Shinigami had you in his palm, but you somehow managed to slip through his fingers." The Sandaime turned a scrutinising eye onto him, which made Kenshin want to squirm.

It was now that the Sandaime sighed dejectedly, "Know that your decision does not matter regarding what you think of this." He stated holding up the very same scroll Kenshin had almost died for. "As the Hokage, I cannot let such an asset go to waste, however, as a human being; I will not allow you to recede back into the hell you very narrowly escaped from."

Before Kenshin could even ask what he was talking about, the Sandaime held out the scroll. After nearly three seconds, Kenshin grasped it with almost painful anticipation. He unravelled the scroll and as he read, he felt his heart begin to freeze with every word.

'_Sandaime Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen._

_The deal we struck is no longer possible, we will never make it to Konoha; The Mizukage has found our last hideout and is currently slaughtering the last men, women and children of the Yuki clan. There is no hope for us, but there is hope for one, my darling son. He is so young and smart, please Hokage-sama, I beg you with whatever I have left, take him, and give him a life that has nothing to do with this terrible war. _

_Don't ever let him read this note, I-I don't want him to know that the last thing his mother and his brother had said to him were lies. But if you must, then know this Kenshin, your brother and I gave everything we have for you because we love you, please don't hate us for that.'_

Kenshin lowered the scroll from his face and stared at it for nearly ten minutes. Hiruzen went to grasp his shoulder but the boy suddenly looked up, not a single trace of moisture in his depthless icy eyes, which made him almost wince, _'Akuma shinobi truly are cursed. Not even are they able to cry for their loved ones.'_

"Why would they think I would hate them?" Kenshin asked suddenly. "They gave up everything so I could live, how can they say that I would resent them for it?"

Hiruzen narrowed his eyes at the boy. "Don't lie to yourself, speak truly, did you not feel a single ounce of anger or hate for what they had to do for you?"

Kenshin stared at him for a moment before swallowing thickly and nodding his head. "I… Yes, I did."

"Remember one thing Kenshin-kun. Don't allow your grief to overcome you; don't forsake everything your Kachan and niisan sacrificed for some pathetic bout of vengeance. Yes, you are a Yuki Kenshin, a demon shinobi of Kirigakure no Sato. But you still have a soul where they both reside in."

Kenshin took it everything the man had said before shaking his head. "There's one think your wrong about Hokage-sama." He stated, getting Hiruzen to raise a brow in question.

"Oh?"

"I no longer belong to Kirigakure, the place that houses murderers and criminals. I am Yuki Kenshin, demon shinobi of Konohagakure no Sato." He said in low, intense tone just before he looked up and blushed. "Ne, umm, if you'll have me."

Hiruzen merely looked at him before standing and chuckling heartily. "You will be enrolled in the academy. Not for long, just a couple of months before you can graduate and study under a jōnin sensei." He added at the boy's pained look.

He went to exit the room, to get back to his ever increasing mountain of paperwork before Kenshin coughed lightly. Hiruzen turned and smiled. "Something else?" He inquired.

Kenshin chewed on the inside of his cheek before he shrugged and looked out of the window. "I remember running into a boy on the outskirts of Konoha, I'm guessing he's the reason that I'm still alive and talking right now."

The Sandaime nodded in affirmation. "Yes, if it wasn't for Reiji-kun, you might very well be dead at the moment."

Kenshin hummed quietly. "I'd like to thank him."

"I'll have my assistant take you for a tour of the town in the following week, it will be a brief tour since she is quite busy, but the person she will hand you off to can take you to Reiji." The Sandaime assured.

Kenshin smiled and nodded. "That would be much appreciated. Thank you, Hokage-sama."

The Sadaime smiled warmly at him before turning to leave. "It is of no matter, young one. It is always a noble cause to give gratitude where it's due." He stated wisely as he left.

* * *

"So, ere' I was just minding my own business when that gaki, runty little brat sneaks up behind me with his stupid shinobi training and burns me with a red hot poker! Look, I've still got the scars to prove it!" Aian shouted loudly as he pulled down his pants to give Kenshin a sight that would infest his sleep and give him the worst kinds of nightmares.

Kenshin went pale at the ungodly amount of hair that spilled out and began to dry heave, doing anything he could to get the phantom taste of ass hair out of his mouth. Either not caring or not noticing his companion's reaction. Aian pulled up his pants and huffed angrily. "Yeeeah, maybe throwing stones at the bugger while he was meditating might not av' been the greatest idea I've had. You gotta be careful around him laddie, he might come off intense, but play around with him even a bit then the kid gloves come off, I'm tellin ya." The heavyset blacksmith whispered in an all knowing tone, or at least he tried to whisper, Kenshin had almost complete faith that the damned Tsuchikage in Iwa heard that remark.

The entire journey out of the village Kenshin had said little. Instead he offered sly little inputs that encouraged the giant to talk even more, it was his way of simultaneously mulling over his current disposition and trying not to drop the ridiculously heavy load of metal ingots he was carrying. Normally, he would feel that he had drawn the short end of the straw in regards to how much he had to carry, but Aian was lugging around what looked to be an entire workshop. He had an anvil, a sack of tools, wooden frameworks and tempering benches all strapped to his back. And the man was barely even breaking a sweat.

As they crested a small knoll on the beaten path they were travelling on, they suddenly came into a very familiar clearing. Everything seemed to look the same; however he now took the chance to observe it all with a deep scrutiny, as the last time he had been here he had literally been a walking corpse.

And just like last time, the boy he knew now to be Reiji was seated at the bank of the lake by the house, in a picture perfect rendition of the full-dragon meditative position. His legs crossed, back arched, eyes straight ahead, and elbows out at a ninety degree angle with his fists meeting in the middle of his chest.

Kenshin didn't feel like disturbing what looked to be a deep meditation when suddenly Aian shouted loudly and hurled a rather large hammer at the boy. It landed a few feet short, but it served its purpose, nearly ten seconds later Reiji let out a loud breath and stood slowly.

"Do you always have to be such a moron?... Sensei."

Aian merely beamed at him and slapped all of his equipment down onto the floor, "Ah well, two moron's make one genius, as they say."

Kenshin bit back a laugh but couldn't keep the smirk off of his face. "I don't think I've ever heard _anyone_ say that. Ever."

Aian turned to him and smiled lopsidedly as he took the stack of ingots from him. "That's cos you ain't no genius. Only genius' have heard of that saying."

Kenshin shook his head in resignation before he stepped forwards and extended his hand to Reiji. "Forgive my disrespect, I came here to thank you for saving my life, instead I got side-tracked. Yuki Kenshin, I'm new to Konoha." Kenshin said earnestly, however his mind began to whirl to life as he took in Reiji's appearance. _'Hattori Reiji, the last of his clan.'_

Reiji snorted softly and gripped his hand before shaking it firmly, "Hattori Reiji. I didn't save you. The healers at the hospital did." He replied smoothly, as he did so, he was observing Kenshin subtly.

The boy was slim, not skinny, as there was clearly some muscle lining his frame; however he looked more like a sprinter or swimmer than an athlete. He sported a velvet green vest laced up at the front with leather straps, and underneath his entire front was wrapped up in bandages, probably from the hospital. He wore dark green breeches that were taped at the shins leading down to Chinese style ankle boots that curved up slightly. He also had white hair tied up into a top knot.

_'__Speed. Definitely speed.'_

Not to be deterred, Kenshin shook his head and crossed his arms. "They can't save what isn't there to be saved, I owe you my life."

At this, Reiji took a step back and raised his hands. "I have no love for that 'My life is yours' farce. You came to thank me, and so far, you've done just that."

At this Kenshin frowned and pursed his lips in confusion. It was tradition to pledge your life to someone you owed everything to in Kiri. But Reiji didn't want to even acknowledge his claim; he barely had even accepted his gratitude.

Reiji noticed Kenshin begin to think over the situation and sighed heavily. "Don't worry too much about it... how about we engage in a friendly spar instead?" He asked, a tad hopefully. He still needed to get the morning training routine out of the way, this way was quicker and much more entertaining.

Kenshin raised a brow, he hadn't been officially cleared by the hospital, but considering he was walking around with free reign told him that it couldn't have been that much of a deal. Besides, it would give him a decent evaluation of his potential team mates; Kiri ninja were notoriously vicious in battle. The only reason such a small hidden village could be regarded as one of the great five was merely thanks to their higher tier shinobi.

"Very well, parameters?" He asked.

Reiji shrugged indifferently. "None, besides long term damage of course."

Kenshin's other brow rose at this, but he didn't say anything, instead choosing to follow as Reiji walked to the lake and across it to a medium sized and unnaturally flat rock.

Reiji stared him down calmly before settling into his stance, "Whenever you're ready, Kenshin."

Kenshin hummed quietly before deciding to humour the other boy, in his left hand a smaller version of a kunai appeared, completely made of ice. With a loud crack of a shunshin, Kenshin appeared behind Reiji and spun while swinging his fist in a backhand that would have split the Hattori's skull. However, Reiji merely ducked under it and pivoted to face him, just in time to catch a tiny kunai made entirely of ice speeding towards his stomach.

Kenshin felt like the match was in his favour, however he wasn't clueless, Reiji didn't seem that easy to defeat. And he was right.

Instead of dodging or blocking in a conventional way, Reiji instead _elbowed _the _blade _of the knife down so Kenshin instead stabbed air in the gap in between his legs. Crossing his legs, Reiji locked Kenshin's hand with his knees before falling on his back, making the ice user lose his footing and pitch forward only to be shot into the air as Reiji extended his legs and mule kicked him up and over.

The Yuki managed to twist in the air so he landed on his knees instead of his neck, but as he looked up he copped devastating knee to the face that nearly broke his nose. He flew back a bit but quickly righted himself and dodged the following three punch combo that was just itching to make contact, jumping back, Kenshin evaluated the situation.

_'__He's fast, not quicker than me from what I can see, but it will make things difficult, he also hits like a monster. I can't engage in Taijutsu, his style is so… spontaneously destructive, it's like there is no form to it. At least the battlefield is in my favour.'_

With that thought in mind, Kenshin blurred through a quick set of hand seals and extending both of his hands, palms facing outwards towards Reiji.

"**Suiton: Gaido-tsuki torento **(Water release: Guided Torrent)**" **From behind Kenshin, two large circular jets of water rose and barrelled towards Reiji.

The Hattori ducked under one and rolled out of the way of the other, using the roll to cover his hand seals, Reiji fluidly exit his dodge and executed a low, sweeping kick in Kenshin's direction. "**Fuuton: Ankurusurais****ā ****no jutsu! **(Wind Release: Ankle slicer technique)**"**

Kenshin frowned as he perceived no immediate danger, but he kept his guard up. It was lucky he did, for he nearly lost his feet as a low, roving gust of wind suddenly kicked up a couple of meters away from him. The wind spun like little lawnmower blades, gouging deep scratches into the rock as he jumped over it. However, it was all a feint.

**"****Fuuton: Reppushou **(Wind release: Gale Palm)"

Kenshin looked up in time to see small, concentrated blast of air surging up towards him with tremendous speed. Placing his hands into the dragon seal, the ice user then clapped the heel of his palms together and a mould of his body made from ice expelled from his tenketsu. Ice also formed large blocks around his feet, which served to pull Kenshin down from the air quicker.

Looking up, Kenshin saw his ice shield get blasted apart by the 'low level' wind technique. _'Kami! That ice could withstand sword strikes, how much chakra did he pump into that?'_

He had no time to wonder however as Reiji was upon him again, a fluid bout of Taijutsu saw both of the Akuma shinobi kicked away from each other. Kenshin from a forearm bash against his chest and Reiji merely jumped away to avoid impalement from a large shard of ice that burst out from under the former Kiri shinobi's sleeve.

His earlier assessment proved to be true, Reiji was his superior in taijutsu, vastly so. Apparently, all he had left to him was ninjutsu. '_Brilliant.' _He thought to himself snarkily.

"You're quite good, Reiji-san." He stated, it had to be said.

Reiji bowed his head and smiled toothily, "As are you."

Kenshin smirked and blurred through a long string of hand seals. "Ne, but you're going to have to be a lot better to defeat me I'm afraid." He exclaimed before stopping the bird seal. "**Suiton: Suiry****ū****dan no Jutsu **(Water release: Water dragon bullet technique)" From behind Kenshin, a large dragon made entirely of water rose out of the lake, spraying water everywhere, which made Kenshin grin.

"What a happy accident. **Hyoton: Shimo fur****ē****ku no jutsu **(Ice release: Frost flake technique)" Every droplet of water turned into a frozen, tiny, razor sharp snowflake that launched itself at Reiji, in conjunction with them, the dragon also attacked, intent on pulverising the last Hattori.

Reiji's eyes widened a minuscule amount before he smirked. The Hattori lord jumped up high to avoid the razor-like icy barrage and then directed an overpowered reppushou to the sky, which sent him flying back towards the ground in order to avoid the watery embrace that was the water dragon's jaws. Just before he landed however, he caught sight of an ice kunai speeding to intercept him. He frowned, _'He's quick at assessing the situation and reacting accordingly, commendable I guess.' _

Just as he prepared himself to bat away the kunai with one of his own, the ice kunai suddenly opened up like a flower. A cold, spiky flower with eight spear-like petals.

Reiji grunted as a warm sensation spread over the entirety of his left arm, he swung his now fully armoured arm down to smash through the ice. He didn't get away completely however, one spike managed to pierce into his shoulder before he had destroyed it. Grunting as he finally landed, the golden eyed Jinchuuriki pushed past the pain and rolled forwards towards Kenshin.

His roll however was boosted by another blast from the reppushou, sending him rocketing forwards with great momentum. "**Karatsume: Ky****ō****f****ū****-ry****ō!** (Jackdaw's Talon: Gale charge)" Reiji shouted his technique as he exited his roll and bull tackled the startled Kenshin. The Hattori rammed his shoulder into the ice-wielder's midsection, picked him up and bodily dump-trucked the boy onto the ground. Not allowing his tricky opponent a chance to worm his way out, Reiji brought up a kunai to Kenshin's throat.

"Yield."

"…"

"I'll shiv you. Yield."

"… Damn." Kenshin let out a loud breath and raised his hands in surrender. "You win Hattori-san."

Reiji stared at him before baring his canines in a cheeky grin as he got off of the other boy's chest. "That's what I call an icebreaker, forgive the pun. And call me Reiji, I insist." The Hattori lord said as he hauled the other boy to his feet.

Kenshin snorted but winced in pain as his sore nose began to leak a small amount of blood. He refrained from mentioning that the entire beating each other up idea was in fact Reiji's. "I'd love to talk more about how I had my ass handed to me, but I think I should get this looked at." The Yuki said as he gestured to his bleeding nose. "I'll see you at the academy then?"

Reiji nodded, "So you're leaf now huh? Anyway, yeah see you there."

Kenshin nodded his assent before turning and walking back across the lake, presumably to the hospital, while Reiji merely sat down to resume his meditation. Kenshin snorted in irritation, _'He doesn't even look winded, and what the hell was that on his arm?…'_

* * *

'_BEEP, BEEP, BEEP, BEE- THUNK'_

The incessant beeping of an alarm clock was forcefully stopped as Naruto slammed the side of his hand into it, surprisingly, the cheap plastic clock barely even buckled under the weight. Opening a baleful eye, the blonde emerged from his messy sleep like a whale emerges from water, throwing bed sheets and clothes all over the floor as he sat up.

Groaning tiredly, the young Hokage-to-be swung his legs over the bed and stood, heading for the bathroom to clean up. He emerged nearly ten minutes later with a towel around his waist, which he threw into the hamper behind him as he admired his flat.

'_I have to thank Jichan again for this…'_

Around a year ago, when the blonde had quietly voiced his complaint about his rundown apartment to himself, the Sandaime had overheard as he arrived for his monthly visits, and thus, immediately acted to rectify the problem. He moved Naruto out of the lower district and into the cloud district, the plateau of restaurants and houses belonging to wealthy citizens and businessmen.

Naruto was placed in an apartment house for guests, close to the Hokage tower. He didn't have the whole house to himself, merely a single apartment, however it was leaps and bounds better than his old flat. The apartment consisted of a reasonably sized room that was completely open, his lounge, kitchen and bedroom weren't separated, nor did he need it to be. Only the bathroom was closed off. The entire left wall that faced the rest of Konoha was turned into a massive window that could be opened up, the height of the flat ensured that privacy wasn't a problem.

Naruto turned to his wardrobe and pulled it open, he donned a tightly woven, long-sleeved mesh shirt and grey shinobi pants. He wrapped the bottom from ankles to just below his knees with black gauze and pulled on his shinobi sandals.

Normally, he would have headed to his secluded area to blow off steam before subjecting himself to the boredom of the academy. But this time however, the blonde opened his window and leapt out, jogging to the Hokage tower.

He arrived at the stairs in mere minutes; the front secretary gave him her usual disdainful glare as he walked up the stairs past her without as much as a glance. In stark contrast however, the Hokage's personal secretary gave him a small smile and a cursory nod as he approached the door. He smiled back at her winningly and entered.

…And was sent flying back down the stairs as a small boy wrapped up completely from head to toe in a long blue scarf slammed into him.

The Sandaime peeked his head out and sighed, he spotted a bearded man walking up the stairs with a bemused expression on his face. Before the younger man could say anything, Hiruzen held up a hand and rubbed his forehead tiredly. "Someone gave Konohamaru a mock paper bomb, which he activated even after I ruined his attempt to blindside me. That child will drive me into an early grave, I'm sure of it."

The bearded man laughed as he took out a cigarette from a pocket on his vest and lit it up, "He detonated it from the inside of his scarf? Reminds me of his bull-headed father." He said past the tobacco stick in his mouth.

Hiruzen raised a brow as he in turn relight his pipe, "You saw him then, Asuma?"

Asuma nodded.

"And you didn't think to grab him or stop him from falling down five flights of stairs?" He quizzed.

Asuma shook his head.

Hiruzen shook his head sadly. "That grave better be warm…"

The smoking jōnin chuckled at that before shrugging. "He had padding on the way down; some blonde kid went with him."

The old Hokage frowned, "Go check on them will you? And take Konohamaru back to the compound, his aunt will be furious to find him skipping on his chores."

Asuma harrumphed as he gave his leader and father an informal salute. "I count this as a B-ranked mission; I expect a pay check waiting for me."

* * *

"I swear to Kami, if you weren't such a runt I would've stabbed you repeatedly by now." Naruto fumed as he all but threw the wrapped up kid off of him and onto the dirt outside of the Hokage tower.

The bundle of child in question wriggled for several seconds before finally managing to loosen the scarf and free himself. "Shut it peasant! You're talking to the great Konohamaru! The grandson of the Lord Hokag-"

He got no further however as Naruto grabbed the end of his scarf and reeled his sorry nose into the same fist holding the scarf. "I wouldn't have given a flying fuck even if you were the Hokage's grand_mother_!"

Konohamaru gaped blankly at him, more stunned by what Naruto had said and did rather than the actual knock to the head. "Y-you hit me… You can't do that! I'm the Hokage's grandson!"

Naruto merely blinked, snorted in amusement, and repeated the earlier action. Over, and over, and over like some sort of human speed bag until Konohamaru's forehead had a lump on it larger than his ego, which was considerably large.

"So, what can't I do again?" Naruto asked with a foxy smirk.

The Sarutobi heir sobered up by shaking his head furiously and stepped forward, "You're not afraid of what will happen for doing that? Are you stupid?"

Naruto laughed in earnest and 'speedbagged' the kid once more for novelty. "Hell no, he might even give me a medal for this."

Konohamaru went red in the face in humiliation before suddenly slapping his scarf out of Naruto's hand and jumping back to take up a stance. "Then that's it, battle me here and now. If I defeat you, you will become my slave, if you defeat me you'll take me as an apprentice."

Naruto's jaw dropped in disbelief, _'Is-is he mentally handicapped? I feel really bad now…'_

Shrugging off the thought, the blond closed his mouth with an audible 'clop'. "What kind of options are those? Get out of here you brat, what a waste of time." With that, Naruto began to walk away, but stopped with an annoyed groan when he heard pattering footsteps growing louder with each second.

Sighing in defeat, Naruto spun around, dodged the wannabe shinobi's grubby fingers and grabbed the scarf once more to give the kid in the longest and most satisfying 'speedbagging' ever to be recorded in the annals of history.

He was up to his fortieth consecutive 'speedbag' when he received a tap on the shoulder. He turned and was met with the sight of a smoking, bearded man wearing the standard jōnin uniform, all while not faltering even once with his human speedbag barrage. "Yo, nice day huh?"

Asuma simply stared at him in awe before letting out a heartfelt laugh, "Kami kid, the hell is wrong with you? Never mind, don't answer that. Names Sarutobi Asuma, cheers for handling this moron for me." He said as he let out smoke from his nostrils.

Naruto grinned and handed over the scarf, dragging along a thoroughly dazed, maybe even concussed Konohamaru as he did so. "Uzumaki Naruto, nice to meetch'ya. If you don't mind, could you take this idiot off my hands? I need to see the Hokage."

Asuma smirked and nodded as he grabbed hold of the scarf, "I got ya kid, go on, the old man needs a distraction." He turned and walked off, dragging a knocked out Sarutobi heir behind him.

* * *

"Ah, Naruto-kun. I was expecting you."

"Yeah, I would expect me too if I saw me get blasted down a set of stairs." Naruto grumbled in an irritated fashion.

Hiruzen raised a brow at this before chuckling fondly as he lit his pipe, "I was wondering how long it would take you before you finally came to realisation, that you could not conjure a bunshin." He said, choosing to completely ignore the event that had just taken place a few moments ago.

"You, uhh... You knew about that?" Naruto asked, wide-eyed and flushing in embarrassment.

Hiruzen once again chuckled, however this time in amusement. He withdrew a scroll from his sleeve and placed it on the table. "Of course, I know many things. However, firstly, know that it is not your fault. I'm sure Itachi-kun has told you this by now, but I will say it again." Naruto sat up straighter and tensed at the mention of his mentor. "Yes, I know about that as well…You have a vast amount of chakra for your age. And by subjecting your reserves to that poor academy jutsu, well, I'm sure you can figure out the problem now. Think of trying to fill a cup under a waterfall, a majority of that water will overfill and go to waste, will it not? Maybe even shatter the brittle porcelain?"

Naruto's apprehension was quickly replaced by a thoughtful expression, then a short while later his face became blank. At first, Hiruzen began to fear that the boy had gone into some kind of shock, but he was assuaged of his fears that the boy had been broken as Naruto suddenly rammed his forehead into the desk. Well, whether or not he was still broken was debateable.

"Baka, stupid, idiot, moron…" Each word heavily punctuated with another loud thump as the boy repeatedly mashed his brain against the hard surface of the desk.

"Naruto-kun, I highly doubt this newfound hobby of yours is healthy." The Sandaime stated in amused, though fairly worried fashion.

The blonde ceased his self-punishment and raised a baleful eye at the grandfatherly Kage. "I should have thought of that."

Hiruzen nodded, "You should have, but it is of no consequence now. You may try to correct your mistake and work on the bunshin." Hiruzen paused and gestured to the scroll. "Or you can forget the bunshin, and try this."

Naruto sat up straighter and took the scroll; he looked at the old man for a second before opening it. Inside was a list of procedures and notes scribbled down describing the jutsu, which was coincidentally called the Kage bunshin no jutsu.

It seemed ridiculously simple, just form the bizarre hand sign, picture a replica of yourself and mould a decent amount of chakra into it. Seeing no harm in trying, Naruto placed his hands into the unfamiliar seal and pumped, what was in his eyes, a small amount of his chakra into it.

With a loud 'POOF' and a large volume of smoke, the Sandaime found his office filled to the brim with perfect replica Naruto's, doing a quick headcount revealed at least thirty.

The Sandaime's jaw fell open, letting his pipe fall onto his desk with a dull thud. "I-I, what?" was all he managed.

Naruto looked around and grinned at his clones, feeling a bit unnerved as they grinned back at him. "That was easier than I thought it would be."

The leaf's Kage quickly regained his self-composure, as expected from shinobi of his calibre. "Make no mistake Naruto, what you just did is quite a feat. The Kage bunshin not only splits your chakra, but it also splits pieces from your inner self, this is what allows mental communication between the two. The Nidaime himself could only manage about forty."

At this, Naruto went slackjawed. "But I barely put any chakra into that!"

Hiruzen nodded, "This is why I am astounded."

Naruto frowned for a second before a small grin lit up on his face, "That means I can make more than you; isn't that right jiji?"

The old Kage hummed quietly, "Don't let it go to your head." He allowed the boy a chance to bask in his small victory over him and then cleared his throat loudly to get his attention. "You can command them by communicating with them, be it verbally or mentall- Damn it all."

Hiruzen cut himself off as all the clones in the room suddenly vanished with small puffs of smoke, however, he was astounded for the second time that day when Naruto merely looked at him in a confused fashion. "I just saw myself looking at myself from thirty different angles, which was really weird."

"You don't feel ill at all, no dizziness?" At Naruto's shake of the head, the god of shinobi frowned once more. _'Aren't you just full of surprises Naruto-kun?'_

"Very well, I presume that was all? I am running quite a tight schedule here." He stated, painfully gesturing to the literal mountains of paperwork that buried his desk.

Naruto grinned, "Yeah, thanks Ji-chan." The blonde bent at the knee and dipped his head instead of risking an awkward bow that he knew he couldn't pull off. "I won't disappoint you or the Nidaime's namesake." The blond swore solemnly.

Though slightly taken aback the sheer conviction in the normally playful boys tone, Hiruzen nodded, smiling as he did so. "Now that statement I know is absolute in its honesty. Take the scroll with you Naruto-kun, read it thoroughly."

Naruto stood and nodded. "Yes sir."

* * *

Nearly a minute or so after Naruto had left, Sarutobi Asuma entered the room, slamming the door back with a determined look on his face.

"I want him." He stated.

"Now Asuma, should you not explain a little more?" The older shinobi drawled diplomatically.

Asuma smirked and stomped up to the desk. "Nuh uh, you know exactly what I'm talking about. Uzumaki Naruto. My team. Now." He declared, each word accentuated with thump on the table.

Hiruzen glared at his son peevishly as he reorganised his cluttered belongings. "You can't have him, Kakashi already staked his cla-"

"Piss on that! You're my dad and the Hokage. Fuck his claim; if you're going to force me to take on a team, I'm having Naruto. That kid is solid gold; he might actually save me from killing myself if I have to do this stupid teaching shit." Asuma nearly shouted.

The Sandaime levelled a baleful eye on his son and breathed in deeply through his nose. "You've inherited your mother's stubbornness and none of my patience. How quaint."

Asuma grinned happily. "And I'm damned proud of it!"

Hiruzen stared at his son for a while longer before relenting with a smile, "As you should be. Very well then, I'll have the changes made, but you will have to inform Kakashi yourself. The man has taken a liking to Naruto, in the brief amount of time he had been observing him. Naruto reminds him of his late sensei."

Asuma dulled down at this and frowned, "Now that you mention it, he does remind me of Minato-sama. The other jōnin and I have been observing our potential genin for a month or so. When he's alone or training, he seems almost like Minato reincarnated. Well, in the brief period I knew Minato-sama."

The Sandaime nodded slowly, "And when he's with people he seems like Kushina doesn't he?" the elderly Kage asked with glint in his eye.

Asuma smiled and nodded, "Yeah, he does now that I thin-… Oh fuck right off."

Hiruzen raised a bushy brow at this, "Language." He admonished

Asuma jumped to his feet from the chair he had just settled down in. "He's the Yondaime's son!?"

Hiruzen merely nodded. "An S-ranked secret, I would advise you not to go blabbering on about it. I don't want to execute my son." Though most people would take it as a joke, the Sandaime's gaze was unwavering and serious.

"I'm telling Kakashi."

"Asuma-"

"He has to know, this is his sensei's son. Kakashi will try to kill you for this." Asuma added the last sentence as an afterthought.

Hiruzen nodded sadly as he took off his hat and rubbed his temple, exposing his freckled scalp. "He won't go that far, he's loyal to me and Konoha, but you are right. He will indeed be angry."

Asuma huffed indignantly. "And with good reason."

The elderly Kage groaned as he withdrew some of his more expensive tobacco. "Very well, go tell him. However should a word be mentioned of this outside the jurisdiction I have just given you, I'll have you thrown in a cell for all the months it will take me decide whether or not to execute you." As Asuma turned his lips down in disdain, the Sandaime paused in his tobacco measuring and stared straight into his sons eyes. "Asuma. I am dead serious, the word of the Hokage is absolute. Being my family does not decree you exempt from the laws. I made that mistake twice in the past, and twice has the village suffered from it."

Asuma looked at him with an unreadable expression on his face before nodding. "I understand, will Naruto be told?"

Hiruzen hummed quietly to himself before shrugging slowly. "It will not matter; he has taken to entering the crypt of the late Master Hanzo with Reiji. Naruto is smarter than he seems by leagues. He will find out either from Reiji or simply from examining the crypt itself." The Sandaime finished stacking his pipe and lit it with a click of his fingers, "I leave the decision to tell him outright at your discretion. I trust you know why this has been kept a secret?"

Asuma snorted in response, "Don't mock me dad, I get it. Iwa, Kumo, lotsa enemies yadda yadda. Assassination, mercenaries blah blah."

"Hmm, leave me. I wish to prepare myself for the migraine Kakashi undoubtedly will give me."

* * *

Naruto let out a loud sigh as he plopped down into his seat; the old man had saved him yet again. Iruka had no idea that the ten clones he had summoned were not simple bunshin. They were actually solid clones. The physical test was piss easy in Naruto's opinion. Simply a set of rudimentary strength, endurance and agility exercises. The written exam almost had him however, the questions he didn't know the answers to couldn't be solved by simple common sense or deduction. The only answer they would take would be the ones straight out of the textbook, completely useless, again in the blonde's opinion.

With the tests out of the way, partly thanks to the Hokage, Naruto now sat in his seat with a brand new Konoha headband around his, well, his head.

He took a second to admire the simple piece of metal through his reflection on the window, he had endured so much just for the little piece of cloth and steel, both the academy and his 'external' training had made sure of that. As he stared out the window, seemingly lost in his own thoughts, he noticed Iruka rear his hand back. Naruto smiled fondly, the scarred Chunin somehow always managed to nail him with that infernal duster, always managing to catch him off guard. However not today, as the duster came inches within striking distance, the blond lazily tilted his head to the side allowing it the hit the person behind him flush on the head, which happened to be ironic because this was another person lazing off on what might have been the most important day in his life up to this point.

The effect was ruined however, when Shikamaru merely brushed off the chalk from his hair and went back to dozing off.

Iruka huffed in an annoyed fashion and cleared his throat loudly. "Once again, congratulations on passing the test, listen up because you're all about to be told who your team mates and who your jōnin sensei will be."

At this, everyone looked up. Even Shikamaru.

"Team one: Innatsyu Shoda, Murui Kanchi, Panji Sorume…

Naruto listened to each name and observed each person as they were called out, as he did so, he noticed something. There was a row of Jonin in the front, nine of them standing and waiting to be assigned their genin. He didn't even see them come in, though that wasn't that much of a big deal, since he had been staring out the window.

"…Team seven: Uchiha Sasuke, Akimichi Chōji, Haruno Sakura. Your jōnin sensei will be Hatake Kakashi."

Naruto looked sideways at Sasuke and ended up locking eyes with the boy, he grinned at him, "Too bad I can't show you up anymore huh, teme?" and then looked away just as the other boy snorted in amusement. He could have sworn he had seen the ghost of a smirk on the other boy's normally expressionless face.

"Team ten: Uzumaki Naruto, Yamanaka Ino, Nara Shikamaru. Your jōnin sensei will be Sarutobi Asuma."

Naruto frowned in thought; he didn't talk to Ino much. But he knew she was loud, brash and contending with Sakura to claim the number one Uchiha fangirl spot. Shikamaru on the other hand was completely the opposite, he would bet his life that if Shikamaru could disable himself to get out of doing work without his mother scolding him for it, he'd do it in a heartbeat. As a teammate, Naruto wasn't sure what would come of it, but he knew one thing about the pineapple haired brunette. The kid was smart, like detective mixed with professor smart. He could retain tidbits of information and then put it use years later in some ingenious way just to make his own considerably tiny workload even tinier.

He had no time to think about it however as Iruka cleared his throat and began to speak again. "Now, due to an unfortunate mishap, two graduating students have been taken out of the roster due to their own reasons. Fortunately, due to another unforseen incident, the Hokage has seen fit to authorize a two man cell to study under a jōnin. These two will make up team eleven.

Team eleven: Yuki Kenshin, and Hattori Reiji. Your jōnin sensei will be Ning Kajima."

Naruto turned a grin onto Reiji, who winked back at him, he then turned his attention to the new arrival; the rumour mill was saying that Kenshin was ex-Kiri, now a Konoha ninja because he had been hired by the Hokage. How true those rumours were, he had no clue, but Reiji had said the Yuki was strong.

The boy was slim, he didn't look too impressive in terms of power, but he was sleek and streamlined. In the physical portion, he had breezed through the agility tests as though they more of a nuisance than a test.

He turned his attention to a jōnin who was currently calling for team ten. _''Oh, that guy from this morning is Sarutobi Asuma?' _He then wrinkled his nose as he got a good whiff of the man _'The guy reeks of cigarette's, holy shit!'_

Approaching the older shinobi, Naruto nodded and grinned as the man called his name, "That's me, nice to meetch'ya, again."

Asuma looked down at him and smirked, "Likewise kiddo." He glanced at the rest of his pupils-to-be and then frowned. "Team ten; meet me at training ground ten." As soon as he finished the last word, the man turned and disappeared in a swirl of leaves. Leaving Iruka more than flustered as the chuunin grumbled and reached for the broom leaning against the door.

Naruto shared a quick look between his new team mates before pursing his lips and shrugging, he was going to say something, but Ino bet him to it.

"I don't know about you knucklehead, but Shika here won't move unless we make him." She stated with her hands on her hips. Naruto bristled slightly at the knucklehead remark and pouted in response, getting a smirk from the two others.

Naruto shrugged and moved to exit the room. "Well, if ya' wanna be that way then you can drag him there yourself." The blonde, newly instated genin stated as he left.

Ino scoffed snarkily and chased after him. "Baka! I don't think you understand who's exactly in charge her- huh?" Looking down the long academy hallway, Ino found not a single trace of the blonde. "Where'd he go?"

Shikamaru peeked out from over her shoulder and shrugged after a second or so. "Whatever, lets not keep our sensei waiting."

Across the room, Reiji had to stifle a smirk as he caught the sight of Naruto blurring across the rooftops. Hearing footsteps behind him, he turned his head and saw Kenshin walking towards him. "Hey there, hows the nose?" He asked with a seemingly neutral face.

Kenshin placed a hands on his hip and palmed his face with the other. "I asked you nicely to let that go..."

"Wouldn't have made a difference even if you demanded or begged."

The ex-Kiri shinobi shot Reiji a glare. "You promised you would never bring up that shameful day after I bought you those fucking socks you wanted."

Reiji pursed his lips and smirked. "Right, I might'v forgotten about that." His smirk turned into a grin as Kenshin merely scoffed at him. "Hey where's our sensei anyway- oh, hello there."

"What?"

Reiji stood up and moved to the side so Kenshin could get a look at the table he had been sitting at, and as he did, the lithely boy blew a quiet raspberry in appreciation.

"He must be pretty good..." Kenshin stated.

"Yup."

Only the table, hastily carved into the wood were two sentences. _'Apparently, one of the two students I have been given is quite intelligent, while the other possesses a knack for tracking. You have ten minutes to find me.'_

Reiji turned his golden gaze to meet with Kenshin's icy stare. "Shall we?"

Kenshin smirked, "After you, my newly-instated-comrade."

* * *

AN: I was gone for a while. Yeah, I know. Would you believe me if I said I broke several bones in my hand? In multiple places? After already breaking my index nearly a minute before that?... My doctor sure couldn't believe how one person could be so retardedly punch happy.

Hattori Reiji: (Ninjutsu: 2 Taijutsu: 3 Bukijutsu: 2 Genjutsu: 0 Intelligence: 2.5 Strength: 3 Speed: 2.5 Stamina: 4.5 Chakra: 5^ Chakra Control: 1.5 Total: 26) According to this, Reiji is elite chuunin; the reason for this is because he is a Jinchuuriki. And thus, he has massive reserves and massive stamina which gives him extra points. Otherwise he would be talented genin/chuunin level. (^) whenever you see this symbol next to an attribute, it means that even though I cannot increase the score more because it would break the system, the particular individual with that particular symbol next to their name has a greater 'speed, strength, etc.' than the max of 5 that I can give.

Yuki Kenshin: (Ninjutsu: 2.5 Taijutsu: 2 Bukijutsu: 1.5 Genjutsu: 1 Intelligence: 4 Strength: 1.5 Speed: 3.5 Stamina: 2 Chakra: 2 Chakra Control: 2.5 Total: 22.5)

Jutsu Translations:

**\- Suiton: Gaido-tsuki torento **(Water release: Guided Torrent, close to midrange, C-rank ninjutsu. A technique originating from an island tribe of Kiri. To perform the technique, the user saturates water with his or her chakra and creates 'rivets/joints' at certain points in the water, that allows the user to bend the water in a certain direction. By using this crude system, one retains control of the element and uses much less chakra than originally needed.)

-**Fuuton: Ankurusurais****ā ****no jutsu **(Wind Release: Ankle slicer technique, close range, D to C-rank ninjutsu. A partially invisible wind jutsu that sends circular blades of wind hurtling towards ones opponent along the ground that only becomes visible towards the end of the jutsu lifespan. It is powerful enough to bite into wood. To use this technique, one must accentuate it with a motion to give it momentum, usually a low sweeping kick, however it is not just limited to that particular limb. To perform the jutsu, the user feeds wind chakra through the tenketsu in their foot and lets it trickle out from the tenketsu, rather than expelling it with force. This gradual release is what allows the wind to become silent and partially invisible.)

\- **Fuuton: Reppushou **(Wind release: Gale palm, close range, C-rank ninjutsu. This technique is performed by expelling wind chakra from the tenketsu in ones palm. Primarily, this technique is used for beefing up fire attacks or increasing the speed of thrown projectiles. However, when Hattori Reiji used the technique, he found that grossly overpowering and pushing out wind chakra in irregular bursts makes the reppushou extremely powerful, just shy of B-rank. Capable of cracking trees at slightly overpowered levels, and enough to shatter a tree completely and crack the one behind at largely overpowered levels. Hattori Reiji uses this technique alongside his taijutsu style to increase velocity.)

-** Suiton: Suiry****ū****dan no Jutsu **(Water release: Water dragon bullet technique, all ranges, B-rank ninjutsu. The Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique shapes a large amount of water into a giant, powerful dragon, which hits the opponent with formidable might, dealing physical damage. The ideal place to use it is near a body of water, but if the user's skill allows it, it is possible to use it even in a place where there is none. The amount of water used will be in proportion with the user's skill.)

-** Hyoton: Shimo fur****ē****ku no jutsu **(Ice release: Frost flake technique, midrange, C to B-rank ninjutsu. The Frost flake technique is an improvised variant of the **Herionfur****ē****ku** **no jutsu, **Hellion flake technique created by Yuki Sezzonmai. Yuki Kenshin saw that using pre-existing moisture that he could freeze was much more efficient chakra-wise than simply moulding ice within his tenketsu. The attack is nigh unavoidable if a large body of water is used, but the more mass adds to the difficulty of keeping the flakes sharp, airborne and accurate.)

\- **Oni no Tsume **(Demon's Claw, ? range, ? rank, Kinjutsu. The Demon's claw is a one of a kind piece of armour forged with unknown materials of arcane origin. The armour belonging to Reiji seems to only spread to the entirety of his left arm, it is unknown whether there are more pieces of this armour or if the one in question is the only surviving remnant. The claw is extremely durable and can be used as an offensive weapon in conjunction with taijutsu; it is capable of channelling chakra and is contained within a seal embedded into the user's limb.)

-** Karatsume: Ky****ō****f****ū****-ry****ō!** (Jackdaw's Talon: Gale charge, point-blank range, C-rank combination of nin-taijutsu[B-rank with the **Oni no Tsume**]. The Gale charge is a physical attack used primarily by Hattori Reiji. To use it, one must be able to make use of the overpowered reppushou while rolling/leaping forwards, it requires precision timing in order to stand from the roll and spear tackle ones opponent while moving at such a high velocity. The charge is simple and straightforward, however what makes it dangerous is the sheer speed of the move. Reiji's speed is increased nearly two and a half fold by the reppushou and the tackle is powerful enough to break bones on impact. Combined with the **Oni no tsume**, the attack is able to rip right through opponents.)


End file.
